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Portola Valley residents say they’ve seen a disturbing number of dead foxes and bobcats in recent days, leading some to suspect they may have been poisoned by chemicals used to kill rodents. <\/p>\n
“We don’t know for sure whether rat poison was the cause,” said Marianne Plunder, chair of the town’s conservation committee. “What we do know is that wildlife deaths are on the rise. The challenge is that we have to find animals quickly before they decompose in order to test for cause of death.”<\/p>\n
He added that the town has also seen an increase in rodent populations, especially around wineries and schools. When rodent populations increase, it can be a sign of a decline in natural enemies.<\/p>\n
In the past three months, the Peninsula Humane Society has received a total of 12 reports of dead wildlife in the Portola Valley. They were all for small birds, squirrels, raccoons, opossums and deer, communications manager Colleen Crowley said.<\/p>\n
A few weeks ago, Portola Valley resident Corian Baglowski found a mange-ridden bobcat in her backyard, which opens to Corte Madera Creek. She said she reported it to experts at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the University of California, Davis. Within a week, the bobcat was found dead near her property.<\/p>\n