Native birds, wildlife and pets are dying from second-generation rat poisons (SGARs).
Add your voice today
Australia’s native birds, wildlife, and even family pets are being poisoned by Second-generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs), a dangerous class on chemicals are are still readily available in supermarkets and online.
For years, BirdLife Australia, experts and our supporters have been calling for stronger action on deadly rat poisons that are silently kill owls, tawny frogmouths, magpies, other endangered and non-target species and even family pets.
In 2022, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) launched a federal review into SGARS and after multiple delays, a series of disappointing recommendations have now been proposed. A temporary ban on the import and manufacturing of SGARS is an admission that these poisons are unsafe in our ecosystems – but the proposed long-term changes will not go far enough.
While some high-risk SGAR formulations (such as liquids, powders and concentrates) may be cancelled and bait use more tightly controlled, these measures seek to address primary poisoning only. They do nothing to stop secondary poisoning, where birds like owls ingest poisoned rats and mice and die.
Other countries including the US, Canada and the EU have already restricted these poisons, but Australia is lagging behind. Safer household alternatives exist, yet SGARs are still sold by the bucketload.
We need the Australian Government to act now to protect our birds, wildlife and pets.
Together, we can show decision-makers that Australians want action on SGARs. Submission guides will be available early 2026.
Second-generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides are powerful poisons that cause internal bleeding, but they have two key drawbacks when compared with other rodenticides:
Australian and international studies have proven SGARs pose lethal risks to birds. Dangerous levels of SGARs have been found in studies on dead Australian birds including: Powerful Owls, Southern Boobooks, Wedge-tailed Eagles, Tawny Frogmouths, and more.
The public retail sale of SGARs has been regulated in the US, Canada and EU for years.But Australian regulations lag behind, and SGARs are available for anyone to purchase from supermarkets, hardware shops, and online throughout Australia.
Safer alternatives for household use already exist, meaning we simply don’t need SGARs available for retail sale in Australia.
Help give dying birds a voice by contacting our federal decision makers, and helping get silent-killer SGARs under control in Australia!
You can learn more about how SGARs threaten non-target wildlife like native owls, quolls, and family pets, and discover ways you can help.
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