Wild California Pigs Turn Blue from Poison
A group of wild pigs in California has been discovered to have blue meat after consuming pesticides that contained mouse venom. This has raised concerns that other game animals might be affected as well.
In Monterey County, these wild pigs were exposed to a pesticide bait with a blood-thinning agent called lodivent difacinone. It’s worth mentioning that this anticoagulant is essentially rat venom, which causes internal bleeding by preventing blood from clotting. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) noted the situation.
The pigs might have ingested the toxins from bait that was stained or even from other animals that had already been contaminated.
Wild pigs in California, which mostly consist of a hybrid between domestic pigs and wild boars, are known to eat a wide range of things—from grass to small animals like mice. According to the CDFW, the potential for infection isn’t limited to just pigs; it could extend to other wildlife, including geese and bears.
The CDFW first received reports of odd discoloration in pig intestines back in March. Interestingly, not all the affected pigs show prominent blue organs; it seems to depend on when they consumed the pesticides.
“It’s crazy. I’m not talking about a light blue; I mean, it’s neon blue—like blueberry blue,” commented Dumbarton, who runs Urban Trapping Wildlife Control and was one of the first to report the unusual color of the meat.
California is home to wild pigs in 56 out of its 58 counties.
Surveys conducted in 2018 found that residues of rat venom were detected in over 8% of tissue samples from wild pigs near areas where pesticides are used. Surprisingly, 83% of bear tissue samples collected showed similar contamination.
It’s important to note that pesticides used outside can lead to runoff, especially after heavy rains or improper application. This runoff can enter nearby water bodies, which primarily affects aquatic life and, as a result, creates a chain reaction when predators that consume fish also ingest these toxins.
