Poisonous substances used to capture and kill the greater cane rat (Thryonomys swinderianus)

The greater cane rat, as it is commonly known, is often called grasscutter (in Ghana, Nigeria and other regions of West Africa). Even though is highly patronized as a delicacy by a majority of Ghanaians (akrantie—Twi language) mostly in the rural areas, the persistent reports on people being poisoned as a result of eating food prepared with grasscutter which has been captured/killed by the use of poison are deterring people from consuming the grasscutter meat despite its high protein content. The objective of this study was, therefore, to investigate the actual ingredients that are used in the formulation of poison to capture grasscutter for human consumption. Questionnaires were administered to participants (farmers) who are involved in grasscutter hunting to solicit the ingredient they formulate to poison the grasscutter in their hunting. To prove the activeness of these ingredients, the main ingredient used in formulating the poison to capture the grasscutters were tested on two male grasscutters and these were yellow oleander root (Cascabela thevetia; syn: Thevetia peruviana) powder and carbofuran. The findings of the experimental trial revealed that the grasscutter that was fed with yellow oleander root powder did not die but showed some signs of intoxication and staggered each time it tried to move. However, the grasscutter fed with carbofuran died within 10 hr of being poisoned. Majority of the participants attested to the fact that the use of poison increases their chance of capturing the grasscutter, especially in the dry season since the poison is not washed away by the rainwater. However, consuming grasscutter poisoned with either yellow oleander root power or carbofuran could be detrimental to human health.