SGARs (Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides) are poisons mainly used for rat and mice control. They have taken over the market from the first generation rodenticides (FGARs) such as warfarin as they only require the target animal to consume it once whereas FGARs need multiple feeds to kill the rodent. However SGARs have a much longer half life in the dead rodent (Half-life is the time it takes for the concentration of the poison to drop to half its original level). FGARs' half life is a few hours, SGARs' about 3 months - it's easy to see why apex predators eating rodents on a daily basis are likely to eat poisoned animals and how the poison builds up in their bodies. 

 

Secondary poisoning is a serious and ongoing threat to our native wildlife. Scientists have detected rodenticide exposure in more than 50 species of Australian birds, 30 native mammals, and 16 species of reptiles and amphibians — highlighting the widespread impact on animals that were never the intended targets. The US, Canada and the EU have already have restrictions in place for public sale of SGARs. Australia is lagging behind, we need to do more to protect our wildlife.