What You Need to Know about Lead Toxicosis, The Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015 S.405 and Our American Bald Eagle

Lead is a heavy metal that has no physiologic benefit in any living system. When ingested, it is absorbed from the stomach and is distributed by red blood cells to the soft tissues, causing damage to the gastrointestinal tract, nervous system and kidneys.  Lead causes anemia (lack of red blood cells) by increasing the fragility and premature destruction of red blood cells.  It also suppresses bone marrow.

 Dr. Laura L Wade DVM Dipl ABVP working on a bald eagle that had lead toxicosis and was subsequently hit by a car because of the resulting neurological effects. This eagle was saved with chelation therapy and currently resides at the Buffalo Zoo (photo: Dawn Trainor Griffard)

Signs of lead toxicosis can include lethargy (lack of energy), loss of appetite, regurgitation, green and/or bloody diarrhea, seizures and sudden death.  In order to treat lead toxicosis, it must be diagnosed early and treated aggressively.  Treatment consists of removing or chelating the lead from the system with injectable CaEDTA, oral Dpenicillamine, oral DMSA or oral dimercaprol. 

The body attempts to store lesser amounts of lead in the bone, where it is most often inactive.  However it can become active again in laying hens, as they use more calcium to create their eggs and therefore may pull more calcium from the bones – disturbing the stored lead in the process.

Treatment of lead toxicosis is costly and time-consuming and is most often performed by veterinarians and rehabilitators on wild animals such as waterfowl and bald eagles, which do not have families to pay their bills like pet birds do.  Therefore, it falls to the responsibility of conservation groups, participating veterinarians and sanctuaries to save the lives of these poor animals.  These animals must stay in treatment until it is clear that they once again have a fighting chance back in the wild.  This can often take several weeks to months of care.

Over the past 25 years, an average of 21-25 percent of sick or injured eagles treated at wildlife hospitals were found to have toxic levels of lead in their blood.  Bald Eagles frequently scavenge the carcasses of deer, pheasants and other wildlife that may harbor lead or lead fragments.  They also hunt live prey such as waterfowl that have been impaired by lead ingestion.  Lead is present in these prey items because they have been shot by hunters who use lead ammunition, or they have swallowed fishing equipment such as lead sinkers.

Lead ammunition also poses health risks to human beings.  Lead bullets explode into minute fragments when they hit their target.  These fragments can spread throughout the meat that humans eventually eat.  Studies using radiographs have shown that dust sized particles can infect meat up to a foot and a half away from the bullet wound.  A recent study has found that up to 87 percent of cooked game killed by lead ammunition can contain unsafe levels of lead.

In October 2012, a position statement issued by the Association of Avian Veterinarians stated that AAV “recognizes that lead is a potent toxin to wild birds that can have individual-and-population-level effects.  Therefore, the AAV advocates the replacement of lead-based sporting ammunition and fishing tackle with non-lead-based alternatives.”

The American Veterinary Medical Association’s Policy Statement on Conservation of Wild Animals states that the organization is concerned about the possible extinction of many animal species.  The AVMA should collaborate with naturalists, conservation groups, appropriate governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international bodies to establish and maintain effective actions for the conservation of wild animals in their native habitats.  These AVMA policies provide support for the elimination of lead ammunition use.  For these reasons, we join with our veterinary colleagues in supporting a commonsense primary prevention policy requiring that lead ammunition be replaced with non-lead ammunition.  This policy helps protect all wildlife species, and also domestic and companion animals.

Researchers examined 58 dead bald eagles and identified lead exposure as a significant mortality factor/USFWS.  (from April 2014 US Fish & Wildlife of the Midwest “Inside Region 3”)

In 1991, the federal government banned the use of lead in waterfowl hunting.  Non-toxic bullets cost only 10-20 percent more for most guns.  Despite the ban, Duck Stamp purchases increased by 30% between 1991 and 2009, even with a 20% increase in the cost of each stamp.   As the production of lead-free ammunition ramps up, costs could drop significantly.

Anthony Prieto, a hunter and co-founder of “Project Gutpile” (a hunter’s group that provides educational resources for lead-free hunters and anglers) says, "As a hunter in California, compliance with the recent state non-lead ammunition regulation has been simple.  I still get to hunt, there is no toxic impact on wildlife or my health, and copper bullets shoot better."

“The Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Bill of 2015” is the re-introduction of a bill that was originally introduced and dismissed in 2012.  This bill will try to stop the no-lead ammunition laws being passed and introduced.  Those who authored the bill hope that the average “rank and file” hunters in the United States will believe that their rights as hunters are being challenged.  Those reintroducing this bill believe these “rank and file hunters” will fight for this bill to be passed.  However, none of their current hunting freedoms are being challenged, and they will gain nothing from this legislation.

What this legislation will do (if passed) is legalize the import of threatened species which are shot abroad and stop the regulation of toxic ammunition.  The bill could also create the presumption that federal lands specifically designated as wilderness areas must be opened to trophy hunting and commercial trapping, regardless of the impacts on the environment, wildlife or other land users (hikers, families, campers, photographers etc.)

The ammunition section of the bill states, “Firearms, ammunition and sport fishing equipment and its components (such as lead sinkers) are exempted from regulations of chemical substances under the Toxic Substances Control Act.”  This section of the legislation – if passed - will make any previous protective laws against lead ammunition exempt and allow the use of all lead ammunitions completely legal for any use in any state.

Please help protect our wildlife. Call your Senators today and urge them to oppose the Bi-Partisan Sportsmens Act of 2015-S.405.   Congress needs to know that the majority of Americans want to keep critical protections for wildlife and wild lands – including our bald eagles - in place.

Submitted by Dawn Griffard, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

”Are you going to eat that?”

Since I began volunteering for WBS in 2004, then joining the staff in 2009, my interest in many aspects of conservation have grown.  In the last few years, one particular area of concern that has really piqued my interest has come about because of a newfound passion for deer hunting.

 I became interested in the sport due solely to several of my coworkers, as I was raised with virtually no exposure to hunting in my family. 

Over the past two years I broadened my horizons and participated in the Apprenticeship Program offered through the Missouri Department of Conservation.  This is a great program, which allows for new or inexperienced hunters to hunt under the supervision and guidance of a licensed hunter for up to two years before they must complete the MDC Hunters Education Course.  It was a great opportunity for me, as I wanted to see if I could “pull the trigger” before committing the time to the 15 hour course.  And who better than to take me under their wing than my fellow co-worker, fishing buddy, mentor and friend, Naturalist Trina Whitener. 

After a successful hunt this past November, I decided that this is a hobby I want to pursue, and successfully completed the Missouri Hunter’s Education Course through MDC this past weekend.  Through learning about the many aspects of hunting, I came across some quite disturbing information that I want to pass along to all fellow hunters and fishermen as well.

I titled this blog “Are you going to eat that,” to address a subject of which many in the hunting and fishing community don’t seem to be aware.  The topic is lead poisoning, both in humans and in wildlife.  If you hunt or fish or know someone who does, I beg you to read on and take this information to heart.  This blog will deal solely with the topic of lead ammunition and fishing sinkers.  Because it is such a broad topic, time and space will only allow me to cover the highlights.

“Humans have been mining and using this heavy metal for thousands of years, poisoning themselves in the process. Although lead poisoning is one of the oldest known work and environmental hazards, the modern understanding of the small amount of lead necessary to cause harm did not come about until the latter half of the 20th century.  No safe threshold for lead exposure has been discovered—that is, there is no known amount of lead that is too small to cause the body harm.”  (This is an excerpt from a Wikipedia article.)

The bold type in the above paragraph is my notation, since those of us who love to hunt and fish handle lead ammunition and sinkers in the pursuit of our hobby—not to mention the fish and meat that we ingest that has been contaminated by these “tools of the trade”. 

Published here by permission of the Institute for Wildlife Studies - This diagram shows the difference in fragmentation between lead and non-lead ammunition upon firing

Much of the available ammunition and sinker weights, as well as reloaded ammunition and home made sinkers, contain lead.  Lead poses a serious danger to people and to wildlife.  What many hunters may not be aware of is that a lead bullet will typically shed 15 – 30% of it’s weight upon impact around the bullet’s path, leaving small shards of lead fragments in the meat.  Ultimately this lead ends up on your dinner plate.  Even if the bullet exits the animal, it leaves a trail of toxic lead fragments that may not be visible with the naked eye.

Published here by permission of the Institute for Wildlife Studies - photo shows the mushroomed lead bullet (in center of photo) surrounded by the lead fragments sheared off and imbedded in the target.  Brown objects are the pieces of the copper jacket material.  Hence, our title, "Are You Going To Eat That?"

And what about the entrails that are typically left in the woods after field dressing game?  This will contain lead fragments as well and is the number one culprit of lead poisoning in birds of prey – bald eagles, golden eagles, condors, vultures, hawks, and mammals, too.

Published here by permission of the Institute for Wildlife Studies - This x-ray shows the lead fragments imbedded in a deer's gut.

The good news is that simply choosing non-lead bullets and sinkers, which are becoming more and more readily available, can prevent this type of suffering.  I know that for many folks, changing something that one has always done and what they are used to isn’t easy.  If you have used lead ammunition and sinkers for as long as you can remember, I encourage you to really consider your future purchases, and what you already have in your tackle box and ammunition cans.  This is a choice that must be made in one’s own conscience, a choice that truly comes down to the greater good, for you and wildlife. 

I have read several arguments about why many sportsmen are reluctant to switch from lead ammunition.  Many fear that non-lead ammo will perform inferiorly.  Surveys of hunters in the field have shown that non-lead ammo performs as well as or better than lead.  I will vouch for that myself, as I harvested my first deer last year with a .30-.30 rifle at 100 yards taken with a Barnes VX round.  I had no worries about lead fragments in the meat that’s in my freezer that I will share with friends and family.

Published here by permission of Saving Our Avian Resources
This magnificent Bald Eagle has not been shot.  It is dying from lead poisoning due to ingesting lead tainted prey or carrion.

In my opinion, I have yet to see an argument that outweighs preventing the senseless deaths of wildlife, particularly birds of prey.  Lead poisoning is a horrific way for such majestic creatures to perish, and wildlife rehabilitators all over the country are seeing more and more of it every day. 

For more information on this subject Click Here.

The other argument that I have heard most often is that non-lead bullets cost too much.  I would have to disagree.  I have seen for myself some non-lead ammo that was actually cheaper than lead.  When I have found non-lead ammo that does cost more than lead, it is usually only a few dollars more per box.  If you are going shooting at a target range, whether or not you use lead isn’t going to affect our wildlife.  When going on a hunt, please think about what you will be putting on your plate, and about what you will be leaving behind in the field.

World Bird Sanctuary is getting behind several other organizations that are getting the word out to get the lead out of hunting.  We have just added an informative banner in our Environmental Educational Center regarding the effects of lead ammunition on wildlife, and the dangers posed to humans.

For more information about what you can do to help, visit www.huntingwithnonlead.org and spread the word to your fellow sportsman.  It is our responsibility to continue to help preserve our natural resources, including wildlife.

Submitted by Billie Baumann, World Bird Sanctuary Outreach Coordinator