Nearly half of bald eagles tested across US show signs of chronic lead exposure

[marmar]

America’s national bird is more beleaguered than previously believed, with nearly half of bald eagles tested across the US showing signs of chronic lead exposure, according to a study published Thursday.

While the bald eagle population has rebounded from the brink of extinction since the US banned the pesticide DDT in 1972, harmful levels of toxic lead were found in the bones of 46% of bald eagles sampled in 38 states from California to Florida, researchers reported in the journal Science.

Similar rates of lead exposure were found in golden eagles, which scientists say means the raptors probably consumed carrion or prey contaminated by lead from ammunition or fishing tackle.

The blood, bones, feathers and liver tissue of 1,210 eagles sampled from 2010 to 2018 were examined to assess chronic and acute lead exposure. ............(more)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/feb/17/us-bald-eagles-chronic-lead-exposure

[Volaris]

1. Seems we should ban lead from bullets and fishing weights...

Wouldnt steel work better, anyway?, for those purposes?!

[Native]

3. The article suggests copper.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. There must be enough loose lead to poison all of us

[Zeitghost]

5. If you're into eating carrion it's a real problem

n/t

[TheBlackAdder]

4. Perhaps that's why their bald 🤔

[shelshaw]

6. Clearly TFG's problem