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Why is DDT harmful? DDT is a chemical that was commonly used in the 1960s to kill insect pests on fruit farms. But it also contaminated the fruit, and thus the fruit-eating birds, which stored the chemical in their bodies. Many birds of prey became scarce after eating smaller birds contaminated by DDT. DDT sprayed onto a fruit tree can find its way into the body of a bird of prey.   Previous: Back Book: 1001 Section: Nature Chapter: Conservation