A new study reports that endangered Carnaby’s cockatoos in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt are exposed to pesticide concentrations found in their food sources that exceed regulatory limits. Researchers from Murdoch University say measurements show pesticide levels “well above” the maximums set for humans and animal feed, with some results reported as hundreds of times higher than values set by regulators.
The contamination appears linked to pesticide presence in the cockatoos’ foraging environment, including food sources near grain silos. One described pathway involves seed spills around grain-handling infrastructure, where pesticides can remain in or near spilled seed and become available to wildlife.
Both outlets describe the findings as evidence that cockatoos are ingesting a “chemical cocktail” through their diet in parts of the Wheatbelt. The reports emphasize that the concentrations detected raise concerns about risk to the birds’ health and conservation status, though the studies’ results focus on measured exposure levels rather than detailed clinical outcomes in the birds.
