Recent Die-Off Very Apparent at Campus of Point Loma Nazarene
By Angelica Moser / The Point / May 4, 2025
The raccoons on Point Loma Nazarene University’s campus have turned into the center of a wildlife conundrum as a recent die-off has led to concerns over illegal poisoning and the spread of disease among the animals.
The poison found is a rodenticide that causes internal bleeding and neurological disorders in animals, and it was banned in California by Governor Gavin Newsom on Jan. 1 due to its serious risks to wildlife. Photo courtesy of Brad Lally.
Brad Lally, resident and volunteer with the San Diego Humane Society, first noticed something was wrong in late January when a neighbor found a suspicious teal blue substance in the brush by the cliffs after a heavy rainstorm.
“It was really fresh looking and still kind of soft,” he said. “We’re sure that lot was spread around Jan. 26 and 27.”
The substance was later identified as a banned rodenticide by the San Diego Humane Society, which became illegal in California on Jan. 1 this year due to its harmful ecological effects.