Save Waltham Wildlife (SWW), a Waltham Land Trust initiative, began in February 2023, when several WLT volunteer trail stewards attended a presentation in Lexington by Laura Kiesel, the founder and driving force of Save Arlington Wildlife. The primary goal of both groups at this time is to limit and eventually ban altogether the use of Second-Generation Anti-Coagulant Rodenticides (SGARs), which have been killing local raptors (including three eagles).

Because SGARs act slowly, rats who have eaten SGARs have time to wander out into the open and, as they are dying, to become the prey of hawks, owls, eagles, foxes, and, sometimes, family pets. In digesting the rat, the predator also ingests the poisons, leading to internal bleeding and all too often to death

Since banding together, SWW's main activities have been raising awareness, lobbying local officials, and gathering information. In terms of raising awareness, one of SWW's first major initiatives was to bring Laura Kiesel to Waltham, where she gave a presentation on SGARs and alternative methods of rodent control at the Waltham Public Library on May 6, 2023. See Laura’s slideshow below.

Later in May, the Waltham Land Trust submitted a letter of support for two bills at the statehouse, one of which gives control to local communities regarding use of pesticides. You can read it below.

On March 9, 2024, SWW joined forces with Mass Audubon to hold a hybrid meeting reiterating the dangers of rodent poison and ways local residents can get involved protecting Waltham wildlife. Watch the video of the meeting to learn more.

SWW held a follow-up Zoom meeting on March 28. Here is a PDF of the slide presentation.

SWW and WLT will continue to lobby for city-wide banning of SGARs and for a more holistic approach to rodent control, involving better trash management (including the provision of large, rodent-safe trash bins to all Waltham residents) and greater use of both Contra-pest and snap traps.

REPORT any lethargic or injured hawk, owl, or other wildlife that you see:

• Contact a wildlife rehabilitator: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/find-a-wildlife-rehabilitator or contact Cape Ann Wildlife at 1-978-325-2501, http://www.caw2.org/
• Please stay with the bird until someone comes to pick it up. If you feel you can’t do this, photograph the bird, make note of its location and call someone who can stay with it until help arrives.

ALSO REPORT:

• Any dead rat/rodent on city property (conservation land, sidewalk, street, parking lot, around a public building). Immediately contact Public Works at 781-314-3855 for its removal. Photograph and make note of location.

Note and record any animal (wild bird, mammal, or pet) consuming or feeding on a dead rat or mouse.

To learn more and become involved with SWW, please email savewalthamwildlife@gmail.com.