Experiments on Toxicity of DDT to Wildlife

There has been much basic experimental work toward determining the possible hazards of DDT to man and the domestic animals. The resulting data indicate a varied toxicity depending upon the degree of absorption in the intestinal tract (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). To obtain exact information on the acute and chronic toxicity of DDT for representative wild mammals and birds, experiments were made at the Patuxent Refuge with the bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus), mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), American pintail (Dafila acuta), starling (Sturnus vulgaris), cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus), meadow mouse (Microtus pennsylvanicus), and white-footed or deer mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). DDT was administered orally either in single (acute) or repeated (chronic) doses, and the animals were observed for varying lengths of time as to symptoms and lethal action.