We are going to need community-wide participation
to mitigate the issue and save our bobcat population.
Take the pledge today and help us spread the word.
KICA made the pledge to be a Bobcat Guardian,
ensuring that these pesticides are not used at any
KICA facility or property.
RETHINK YOUR CONTROL STRATEGY
Use Integrated Pest Management to address rodent
problems:
• Identify specific rodent problems and locations
by doing a thorough survey of the property. Only
take action if a problem exists. Seeing a rodent
in your yard is not a rodent problem.
• Use non-chemical methods of rodent control
(eliminate food/water sources, exclude rodents
from structures by sealing exterior holes and
cracks, use traps).
• Pesticides should only be used as a last resort
for large infestations inside structures. The
pesticide should only be applied for a short time
(typically 10 days) and then stopped once the
problem is resolved.
KNOW PESTICIDES - IT’S ALL ABOUT
INGREDIENTS
If pesticides are necessary, first-generation
anticoagulants (warfarin, chlorophacinone, and
diphacinone) are better than second-generation
anticoagulants but still have secondary effects on
wildlife. A better option would be a product that
uses bromethalin or cholecalciferol. While these
products have significantly lower secondary effects
on bobcats and other predators, they are potentially
toxic if consumed directly by pets and can only be
used inside of a tamper-resistant bait station.
Brand names of products containing these
rodenticides are listed below:
• Cholecalciferol – Terad3 Blox, d-Con Pro Bait
Station Blocks
• Bromethalin – Tomcat Bait Station Blocks,
Victor Fast Kill Refillable Rat Bait Station
Federal law requires that all rodenticide packaging
clearly display the active ingredient and instructions
for use. Failure to follow the instructions on the label
is a violation of state and federal law. Always check
the label before using any rodenticide product.
The following four active ingredients are secondgeneration
anticoagulants and should never be
used: Brodifacoum, Bromadiolone, Difenacoum,
and Difethialone.
PESTICIDE REGULATION
The town cannot regulate or prohibit the use of
SGAs. In April, town council was prepared to pass
an ordinance that would have done this. That
action was challenged and legal opinions since have
confirmed that South Carolina law broadly prohibits
municipalities from enacting local regulations to
control pesticide use.
WHAT’S BEING DONE
The town and the Kiawah Conservancy have
requested a temporary, one-year prohibition on
SGA use on Kiawah Island to the SC Department
of Pesticide Regulation. This request is currently
being evaluated and, if granted and enforced, would
immediately remove these products from our
ecosystem and mitigate any further damage to our
bobcat population as well as other wildlife while
our community works on a permanent solution to
this issue.
On July 20, the town held a virtual meeting with
pest control companies that have a current business
license with the town, in order to educate these
companies on this issue and seek their input and
future cooperation to eliminate the use of SGAs on
Kiawah.
The town is also working closely with the Department
of Pesticide Regulation to increase education and
training for local pest control companies.
For questions about this bobcat population decline,
feel free to contact town wildlife biologist Jim Jordan
at [email protected].
KIAWAH ISLAND DIGEST | 3