Cape Town - A recent study has revealed caracals around Cape Town are exposed to a wide variety of metal and metalloid pollutants, including mercury, lead, arsenic and selenium.
The research article published in the journal Environmental Pollution found these metals and metalloids found in caracals are highly toxic to humans and animals.
Gabriella Leighton, one of the researchers, said solutions needed to come from a city level.
“A major issue is that metals and metalloids are not currently included in South Africa's national air and water quality monitoring programmes,” she explained.
“Monitoring should be focused on the urban edge, waste management sites, water treatment plants, road run-off, and agricultural areas.”
“In the short term, mitigation can focus on wetland and freshwater system clean-ups, implementing stricter regulations on fuel-burning emissions, improved treatment and disposal of city wastewater, and reduced use of agricultural pesticides,” she said.
Leighton cautioned that these pollutants are an environmental red flag and have negative impacts on Cape caracals themselves.
“While it is difficult to study in wild populations rather than in laboratory conditions, we report that several of the metals, including mercury, chromium and selenium, likely have physiological effects on wild caracals,” she said.
“These effects include increased signs of anaemia and increased levels of infection fighting cells, indicating possible immune impacts.
“It is well documented that many of these pollutants can cause health issues and ultimately population declines in wildlife, especially around cities where species already face many other kinds of threats, such as car collisions, disease and persecution.”
The Cape of Goof Hope SPCA said caracals displaying neurological symptoms that could be associated with the consumption of water containing metal pollutants have been admitted to their hospitals.
Belinda Abraham of the SPCA explained these caracals could also have been affected by the consumption of affected aquatic-adapted birds.
“Both may have led to their exposure to the contaminants, potentially resulting in the observed neurological symptoms,” she said.
Allan Perrins from the Animal Welfare Society of South Africa (AWS) said the fact that metal pollutants have been found in caracals that cohabit the city, should come as no surprise and is a direct consequence of our neglectful actions as a society.
“It is remarkable how these local apex wildlife predators have managed to adapt and survive despite the harsh environmental challenges made worse by human indifference and gross neglect of the environment,” he said.
“In our opinion environmental pollutants can be found just about anywhere within the boundaries of the city.
“Many once pristine waterways and productive hunting grounds for these magnificent cats have been callously degraded to lifeless toxic pools devoid of life and where there is still life to find these poor creatures that constitute the prey or caracals are often contaminated.
Perrins stressed the number of illegal dump sites combined with agricultural activities constitute a real hazard for people, animals, domestic and wild and very likely source of metal pollution.
Perrins added we need to cherish and fiercely protect our dwindling wild animals and spaces from the serious negative effects of environmental degradation.
“We have a choice, not to use harmful pesticides, to better manage our waste and to respect our natural environment or face the dire consequences of our selfish neglect and greed,” he said.