I do know. The title sounds a bit just like the protection of a mass assassin – he solely did his deeds to scale back the worldwide inhabitants in a combat in opposition to local weather change brought on by human actions. However luckily for chemists like me, the case for chemical compounds supporting chook safety is a bit stronger. Listed here are some examples.
Various Pesticides
Conventional pesticides akin to DDT and others hurt birds via poisoning, egg shell thinning, or lowering their meals provide. Safer alternate options embrace
- “Biopesticides” (initially sourced from crops however might also be obtained through chemical synthesis) with higher biodegradability
- Pheromones akin to (Z,E)-9,11-tetradecadienyl acetate, a moth intercourse pheromone utilized in moth traps
- Insect development regulators akin to methoprene (which retains bugs from maturing)
- Chitin synthesis inhibitors like diflubenzuron (which prevents exoskeleton formation of bugs).
Most of those are synthesized chemically, and usually, their benefit lies in higher biodegradability, decrease persistence and accumulation, and a extra particular goal (i.e., solely focusing on bugs, not birds).
Lead Options
Lead poisoning is a serious hazard to geese, raptors, and vultures. Safer alternate options to guide bullets are based mostly on different metals akin to metal, bismuth-tin alloys, and tungsten composites. There are comparable, safer alternate options to guide fishing weights, a hazard significantly to waterbirds. Personally, I nonetheless don’t perceive hunters and fishermen, whether or not utilizing lead or not (how are you going to take pleasure in killing animals?). However I suppose that’s not the subject of this put up.
Chemical Habitat Restoration
Unusual as it could sound, however restoring habitat which has been broken by chemical compounds could generally greatest be achieved utilizing different chemical compounds. For instance, an acidified river could require therapy with a neutralizing agent akin to lime (calcium oxide) to revive it to a liveable pH worth. Soil contaminated by heavy metals could also be handled by chelating brokers akin to EDTA or EDDS that may, in essence, extract the poisonous metals from the soil.
Veterinary Drugs
It is a no-brainer – most drugs out there to deal with or forestall ailments in birds is predicated on chemical compounds.
Ornithological Analysis
Some ornithological analysis is supported by chemical strategies, such because the marking of feathers or steady isotope evaluation to trace migration routes and meals sources. In flip, this analysis contributes to chook conservation.
Chicken Repellents
Some chemical compounds, akin to methyl anthranilate, are used to repel birds from particular areas which may be harmful to them, akin to airports.
Coatings
Protecting coatings on energy strains can forestall electrocution, whereas making use of black colour to one of many three blades of a wind turbine considerably reduces the chance of chook collision (supply).
(Paraphrasing Seth Meyers on his late-night present: Paint one blade of a wind turbine black: Fewer useless birds. Paint one blade sky blue: Massacre)
