OGUNQUIT, Maine — Multiple state and federal agencies are investigating the town of Ogunquit after game wardens say rat poison may have been spread near the beach.
Investigators found a dead seagull on the rocks near Ogunquit Beach. They are doing tests on the bird to see if it died from rat poison they believe was spread in the area.
The discovery prompted the Maine Board of Pesticide Control, Maine Warden Service, Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to launch an investigation.
Sgt. Tim Spahr of the warden service believes someone with the town spread rat poison on the boulders near Ogunquit Beach in an attempt to contain a rodent problem.
A number of state and federal regulations must be followed when using poison and if the town did not adhere to those regulations, it could have violated the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
“We have collected at least one specimen, one dead bird, that has not been tested yet to determine whether that bird has ingested poison or not. Once that is tested through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service we will have a better idea,” Spahr said.
An attempt to reach the acting town manager for Ogunquit for comment on Friday was not successful.
Spahr said the town is cooperating with the investigation.