This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain
Dan Burton has trapped hundreds of wild pigs for clients of his wildlife control company in Salinas, but even he was startled when he cut one of them open and found blue meat inside.
"I'm not talking about a little blue," said Burton, owner of Urban Trapping Wildlife Control. "I'm talking about neon blue, blueberry blue."
Burton immediately knew what the problem was and relayed the disturbing discovery to Monterey County officials and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The agency is now warning trappers and hunters to keep an eye out for possibly contaminated wildlife in the area, and not to consume the tainted meat, over concerns the blue meat is a sign that the animal may have consumed poison.
"It's just wild," Burton said.
The startling find of wild pigs with bright blue tissue in Monterey County suggests the wild animals have been exposed to the anticoagulant rodenticide diphacinone, a popular poison used by farmers and agriculture companies to control the population of rats, mice, squirrels and other small animals, according to a statement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
"Hunters should be aware that the meat of game animals, such as wild pig, deer, bear and geese, might be contaminated if that game animal has been exposed to rodenticides," said Ryan Bourbor, pesticide investigations coordinator with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Officials are urging hunters not to consume any meat from an animal with signs of the blue pigmentation in their meat or fat, and to report the find to officials.
... continue reading