BirdCam Forum > Get the Lead Out
Information About Lead
EagleDave:
jf.
I wanted to add my thanks to Finn,Faith,and glog's for putting all the links in one place. And thanks for continuing the battle to Get The Lead Out ! I try my best to convince anyone who will listen to me and I am always surprised at the ones who say they had no idea how harmful lead can be.
baziunc:
Hi. Thanks to wings138 for posting this article link in the Cheers thread!! It is the first of 3 parts, so be sure to see the links to Parts 2 and 3 on the right side near the top of the article. It's about lead poisoning affecting people at shooting ranges - from the lead fumes and dust. I knew about lead poisoning from lead bullet fragments being ingested, but I did not know about lead poisoning from exposure to lead dust and lead fumes emitted at shooting ranges. Even kids in shooting clubs were getting high lead levels from having the dust on their hands and then eating finger food... that's in Part 3 of this 3-Part story. Even though this isn't about eagles, it's important, and so I'm re-posting it to share here. I think wings138 makes a good point ... that if people who don't even hunt are getting lead poisoning from lead ammo, then maybe more people will try to push for, and switch to, non-lead ammo. Here's that post and link:
--- Quote from: wings138 on October 21, 2014, 01:34:57 PM ---Hello Cheerio's.........I read this article in our morning paper and thought you might be interested in it.......maybe with humans getting sick from lead bullets things will finally change...........
http://projects.seattletimes.com/2014/loaded-with-lead/1/
--- End quote ---
http://www.raptorresource.org/forum/index.php/topic,1798.msg360030.html#msg360030
jfrancl:
Hello Parrothead. Thanks for your post.
It is really an increase in awareness of the damages that lead recreational hunting ammunition and fishing tackle has on wildlife, and on several species of raptors but bald eagles in particular. Many studies have been performed and the overwhelming results show that ingested lead particles can severely impact them.
Bald eagles have very strong stomach acids and those same strong stomach acids break down lead and then lead is absorbed into the blood stream. Primary lead exposure is caused by the animal eating lead directly, mistaking it for food or grit. Secondary lead exposure comes from the animal eating another animal that contains lead. Studies have documented that a very small amount of ingested lead by an eagle is lethal. Less than 200mg of lead can cause death.
Some symptoms of lead poisoning can be lethargy and weak and are unable to stand, eat or fly, attacking the nervous system, brain swelling, collisions, seizures, respiratory distress, and vision impairment. Often, by the time these symptoms are visible, it may be too late and it will not survive, even if Chelation Therapy is administered. Some studies show that for every 1 bird caught, tested and treated for lead poisoning - 9 are not.
And, young children and pregnant women absorb more lead than do adult males.
I hope this explanation will help in some small way. Please feel free to post any other questions you may have and use any of the links provided above. SOAR's Website has some great information as well.
http://www.soarraptors.org/
baziunc:
--- Quote from: parrothead411 on November 22, 2014, 11:14:12 AM ---Hello everyone, I need how answering this question. I've been posting on my Facebook page for hunters to Get the Lead out. One hunter asked this,
"Just a thought and still not so sure about this. "A spike in the last 5-10 years of lead poisoning". Lead ammo has been around forever. Why the increase in the last decade or so ? And why hasn't other scavengers who feed on these same carcasses been affected ?
Can anyone help me answer his Concerns? Please. I want to convince him about the dangers of lead. ??? ??? ??? :-\
--- End quote ---
parrothead, I know you saw jfrancl's post in response to yours. But did you also see jfrancl's post today in the Get the Lead Out thread? It has a link to a great letter written to a newspaper about someone finding a sick BE, poisoned by lead. But it also speaks to other animals, uncluding humans, who are also affected by eating lead-shot game, and other info about how lead continues to enter our environment and food chains and the awful results of that.
jfrancl's post can be found here: http://www.raptorresource.org/forum/index.php/topic,765.msg366811.html#msg366811 and it includes a link to that letter to the Des Moines newspaper, below.
I highly recommend reading this and sharing it with others:
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/readers/2014/11/20/lead-ammunition-poisoning-wildlife/19309287/
BHscent:
This is a great post jf. I would like to see it promoted more not only on here but also FB. Maybe RRP can share your post on their wall on FB?
It is important to spread this word to all we can. Also over and over.
Heck, with permission. I will copy and share it everywhere I can. ;)
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