Save Britain's Barn Owls

Save Britain's Barn Owls

Barn owls, a majestic icon of the British countryside, are dying off in their thousands. A changing climate and habitat loss is part of the picture, but Britain's barn owls are also being killed by powerful rat poisons being used on farms across the country.

When owls eat poisoned rodents, they ingest toxins which can cause internal bleeding. Although not all die as a direct result, experts believe the poisons affect their ability to hunt and breed. 8 in 10 barn owls have been found to have these poisons in their bloodstreams, but there is a glimmer of hope for this beautiful predator -- the government is reviewing how such poisons are used.

Let's flood the minister responsible for the review with demands to impose stricter controls on these powerful poisons, restricting where and how they are used and throwing a lifeline to our owls. Sign here to stop barn owls dying, and help protect one of the best-loved symbols of Britain's wildlife.

http://www.avaaz.org/save_britains_barn_owls

The number of barn owls in Britain has catastrophically collapsed, partly due to extreme weather events like freezing winters, cold springs and wet summers. Since the roll-out of the poisons, the numbers of barn owls testing positive for toxins has risen dramatically.

There have been no scientific studies into the effects of non-lethal doses of these poisons on barn owls. But when humans are exposed to small doses of similar poisons, they cause burning fevers, vomiting and diarrhoea. Feeling unwell can be the difference between life and death for a predator that relies on hunting to survive.

These poisons are found on three quarters of Britain's farms, and are often laid permanently to prevent rodent infestations, rather than occasionally to end them. Join our call for Britain to bring in stronger regulation on the use and labelling of these deadly poisons to help save Britain's barn owls - before they disappear forever.

http://www.avaaz.org/save_britains_barn_owls

Avaaz's 32 million members around the world -- including more than 1 million in the UK -- have taken effective action before to help protect our environment. When Europe's bees faced poisoning by pesticides, more than 2.5 million of us came together to force a change in the law. Now we can help save one of Britain's best-loved birds of prey.

With hope and determination,

David Ramsden, Senior Conservation Officer, Barn Owl Trust, with Avaaz

Read more on Barn Owls and Rodenticides

PS: This petition was started on Avaaz's new Community Petitions Site. It's quick and easy to start a petition on any issue you care about, click here: http://avaaz.org/en/petition/start_a_petition/?30311