Wild pigs found with blue meat shouldn’t be eaten, California officials warn

Wild pigs found to have blue meat and fat show signs of having eaten rat poison, California wildlife officials warned.

In March, a wildlife trapper reported discovering the dyed tissue in wild pigs caught in Monterey County, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a July 30 news release.

Lab tests by the agency found the pigs had ingested anticoagulant rodenticide diphacinone, a rat poison, officials said. The pesticide was found in their stomachs and livers.

“Wildlife can be inadvertently exposed to rodenticides either by eating rodenticide bait or by eating other animals that have ingested rodenticides,” experts said in the release.

Rat poison often contains dye to identify it as poisonous, officials said, but the dye does not always show up in the animal’s tissue.

“Hunters should be aware that the meat of game animals, such as wild pig, deer, bear and geese, might be contaminated if that game animal has been exposed to rodenticides,” said Dr. Ryan Bourbour, the agency’s pesticide investigations coordinator, in the release.

A 2018 study found rat poison in 10 out of 120 wild pigs and 10 out of 12 bears found in agricultural or residential areas, where the poisons are more commonly used.

The agency encouraged hunters to report unusual findings in wildlife meat or fat at WHLab@wildlife.ca.gov or 916-358-2790.

Monterey County is about a 115-mile drive south from San Francisco.

This story was originally published August 4, 2025 at 9:10 AM with the headline "Wild pigs found with blue meat shouldn’t be eaten, California officials warn."