3 California condors die of lead poisoning

[robdogbucky]

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

(05-31) 16:32 PDT LOS ANGELES (AP) --

Three California condors found in northern Arizona and southern Utah have died of lead poisoning and three others had toxic levels of lead in their bodies, prompting conservationists to urge hunters to use non-lead ammunition and to carefully dispose animal carcasses that condors could feast upon.

Biologists recently captured and tested nearly 30 of the endangered birds in the region after a hiker reported seeing a dead, 11-year-old male condor in the Grand Canyon, the Peregrine Fund, which is dedicated to preserving birds of prey in the wild, said Tuesday.

Of the birds captured, two died in addition to the bird found by the hiker, reducing the overall condor population in the West from 391 to 388, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which oversees condor recovery.

The other three birds were treated and released back into the wild...


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/05/31/national/a150821D85.DTL#ixzz1O2FWETQ9

[hootinholler]

1. I thought maybe someone shot them

Lead shot has been outlawed when hunting waterfowl for a long time. Perhaps it's time to remove it entirely from the market.

-Hoot

[hunter]

2. I only use gold bullets when I'm hunting in condor country...

Well, okay, I mean I would, if I went hunting in condor country...