Sick condors prompt wildlife advocates to sue for the
restriction of lead bullets
n By Danielle Smith
Staff Writer
Paicines – While Condor 307 recuperates from high blood-lead levels under the watchful eye of Pinnacles National Monument staff, a coalition of environmental advocates is suing the California Fish and Game Commission in an attempt to ensure that more condors won’t have to suffer similar treatments.
“Lead poisoning from bullets is a major threat to the condors that just isn’t being addressed right now,” said Jeff Miller, spokesman for the Center for Biological Diversity, one of several plaintiffs in the suit. “We’re doing something about the danger of them running into power lines or eating trash, but this threat is unaddressed.”
Less than a week ago, five of the 11 free-flying condors in and around Pinnacles were discovered to have elevated levels of lead in their blood streams, and Condor 307 was so sick staff had to administer emergency treatments.
“She’s doing great, much better now, and her weight’s coming back up,” said Carl Brenner, Pinnacles supervisor of interpretation and education. “It’s like watching a kid who’s not sick any more and is slowly becoming more active.”
Pinnacles staff plan to keep 307 under observation for at least another week, to ensure that her blood-lead level continues to drop.
“After that we can let her out to play with her friends,” Brenner said.
In order to cure 307, she was put through a treatment called “chelation” – injections of calcium that help the condor’s body flush out the poison.
“Whenever you have to give condors treatments for lead poisoning, it’s very stressful and painful for them,” Miller said.
Miller’s organization, as well as the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Wishtoyo Foundation and several hunters, contend that the Fish and Game Commission is not doing its part to protect condors from the dangers of lead poisoning. In January, Miller said, they petitioned the Commission to ban the use of lead bullets, which was refused.
“The Fish and Game commission regulates hunting seasons, methods, and is in charge of protecting endangered species,” Miller said. “We want the judge to find them in violation of the endangered species, which they clearly are.”
Nine condors have died of lead poisoning and some form of lead poisoning treatment has been administered to condors 80 times since the early ’90s, Miller said.
The plaintiffs in the case hope the fish and game commission will ban lead bullets that could potentially poison condors, offering rebates for hunters who turn in their lead bullets for copper ammunition. Copper ammunition does not fragment like lead and is much less likely to be ingested by a condor. Though it is currently unavailable for certain guns, such as the .22-caliber rifle, Miller says ammunition producers will pick up the slack if a ban is enacted.
“If they’re banned, there are plenty of companies out there who will start manufacturing copper bullets to meet the demand,” he said.
According to Miller, 75 percent of hunters surveyed said they would be willing to try alternative ammunition.
A ban on lead bullets is not without precedent. Federal law already requires the use of non-lead shot when hunting waterfowl, due to the fact that the birds are easily poisoned and can poison eagles and even humans, in turn.
Pinnacles staff are trying to reduce the threat of lead poisoning on the home front through town meetings that will be held in communities surrounding the Pinnacles over the course of the next few weeks.
“We want people to embrace alternative ammunition,” said Brenner. “The public might have ideas that we haven’t thought of to help protect the condors, and we want to share our successes and hurdles with them, as well. Together we can be successful.”
