Arsenic found in dead gaurs' habitat: Kui Buri National Park

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ANIMAL PROTECTION
Arsenic found in dead gaurs' habitat
Janjira Pongrai
The Nation


File Photo

But levels in soil, water samples not high enough to kill animals, experts say

BANGKOK: -- TEST RESULTS on soil and water samples from Prachuap Khiri Khan's Kui Buri National Park, where 22 gaurs have died since December, showed higher-than-normal amounts of arsenic, but the levels were too mild to have caused the sudden deaths of the wild cattle, experts said.

Park officials now fear for the safety of a herd of 90 gaurs currently foraging in the north end of the park's Kunchorn reforestation project, as two of its members are apparently sick. Ahead of today's official announcement of the initial probe results, Pollution Control Department (PCD) director general Wichien Jungrungruang said yesterday that since December 26 the department had collected six soil samples, 15 silt samples and 10 water samples from around the Kunchorn project area.

It had also collected samples of other plants the cattle graze upon to determine the cause of the gaur deaths. The initial test results showed beyond-standard levels of arsenic in three samples.

A soil sample from a spot near where the first gaur was found showed an arsenic level of 29 milligrams per kilogram - compared with the safe level of 27mg/kg - while a water sample and a silt sample from a grass plot near the 17th gaur carcass also had slightly higher-than-standard arsenic levels, Wichien said. More details would be announced at a press conference today, he added.

However, the presence of arsenic near the carcasses couldn't be confirmed as the cause of death, because soil naturally contains mild levels of the chemical. As a result, officials might have to collect more samples for clarity. Wichien said such slightly higher-than-standard levels of arsenic couldn't suddenly kill gaurs - the level would have to be over 1,000mg/kg to be deadly. As some might argue the deaths could result from a prolonged exposure to the chemical, he said officials would have to collect blood samples from live gaurs for further testing.

Theerapat Prayoonsit, deputy director-general of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, said the two additional gaur carcasses found on Wednesday were a male over 15 years old and a skeleton with complete skull and horns. The latter animal was suspected to have died of natural causes two months ago.

Theerapat said caretaker Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Yukol Limlaemthong had urged Livestock Development Department chief Tristsadee Chaosuancharoen to speed up test results and to send officials and veterinarians to help the park monitor wild cattle. One carcass was found in the north of the Kunchorn project area, where some 90 gaurs are now foraging for food, so officials would keep an eye on them, as two members were sick.


-- The Nation 2014-01-17

[rjcampbe]

Hmmm...

Now THIS is interesting.

Why do you suppose that when tourists are dropping dead in hotels in Chaing Mai, or when young women are mysteriously found dead in their hotel room on Phi Phi, or people are mysteriously poisoned in Phuket, it takes the police weeks to get toxicology information and test results for poisons. And then, the samples are usually are delayed so they are degraded, needed to be sent to other facilities so they can be "lost in transit", and a variety of other incompetent moves. Then, on the rare occasions that they are actually completed and the results are delivered, they are "inconclusive".

Yet when some wild cattle die, these park officials, who apparently have their shit together, are able to deliver all this quick analysis and scientific data.

Maybe these guys should be investigating the murders in this country and the "police" should handle the parks.

Say it with me folks... Amazing Thailand....

[recycler]

Hmmm...

Now THIS is interesting.

Why do you suppose that when tourists are dropping dead in hotels in Chaing Mai, or when young women are mysteriously found dead in their hotel room on Phi Phi, or people are mysteriously poisoned in Phuket, it takes the police weeks to get toxicology information and test results for poisons. And then, the samples are usually are delayed so they are degraded, needed to be sent to other facilities so they can be "lost in transit", and a variety of other incompetent moves. Then, on the rare occasions that they are actually completed and the results are delivered, they are "inconclusive".

Yet when some wild cattle die, these park officials, who apparently have their shit together, are able to deliver all this quick analysis and scientific data.

Maybe these guys should be investigating the murders in this country and the "police" should handle the parks.

Say it with me folks... Amazing Thailand....

Some toxins like arsenic and mercury are easy to measure with standard equipment like a handheld XRF analyzer because they are metals. Some chemical and herbal toxins are much more difficult to measure and take a well equipped and specialized lab to discover.