Death of Three Condors ... Possible Lead Free Ban?

[HaYen]

So on one of the other boards I frequent, someone who knows I hunt with Barnes or eTips up around the canyon, asked me if I had heard of three Condors deaths in Arizona and Utah due to lead poisoning. I sent an email to a person over at the AZ Game and Fish that I've spoken with in the past about Lead in the Canyon. This was her response:

 

Yes three condors did recently die of lead poisoning. Here's the press release about the three condor deaths:

Condor Deaths

 

Location data suggests the two adults were most likely exposed in Utah,

not Arizona and the female may have fed the lead contaminated meat to

her chick. Utah will be implementing a free non-lead ammo program this

fall also, so we hope these lead mortalities will be behind us.

 

As for the rumor about AZ and UT being sued, there is a current lawsuit

from the Center for Biological Diversity (probably mentioned on their

website) against the BLM and USFWS about a land management plan on the

Arizona Strip (Units 12B and 13A/B). It's mostly about off road travel,

but it does mention requiring non-lead ammo in the suit also. AZGF

(although not named in the suit) will be participating. Here's the

press release:

 

-------------------------

 

Arizona Game and Fish Commission votes to enter lawsuit in support of

Arizona Strip management plans

 

PHOENIX - The Arizona Game and Fish Commission voted unanimously today

to file an amicus curiae brief in support of the Bureau of Land

Management (BLM) in a lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological

Diversity (CBD) regarding land management on the Arizona Strip.

In general, the commission is supportive of the plans and impact

statement as adopted by the BLM and chose to take this action to protect

the state's wildlife management interests and to ensure continued access

to public lands for all outdoor enthusiasts.

An amicus curiae brief allows a party not directly named in the

litigation to provide the court with pertinent information and arguments

that may not be offered by the other parties.

The CBD lawsuit, filed on Jan. 27, 2009, questions the legality of the

Resource Management Plans and Final Environmental Impact Statement

adopted by the BLM for the Arizona Strip, an area of land that extends

from north of the Grand Canyon to the southern border of Utah.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department was actively involved throughout

the preparation of the BLM's management plans and provided input into

which roads should be retained and which ones removed to protect

wildlife and its habitat, allow administrative access to needed

developments and ensure reasonable public access to wildlife.

The CBD amended its original complaint on March 25 to challenge the

legality of using lead firearms ammunition on the Arizona Strip.

The commission wants to minimize any potential effects the litigation

may have on its successful, voluntary non-lead ammunition program that

benefits endangered California condors living in the experimental,

non-essential population area.

Hunters in Arizona have been participating in a voluntary program to use

non-lead ammunition or remove carcasses of animals shot with lead

ammunition to limit the amount of lead from spent ammunition left in

carcasses in the field since 2003. Each year every hunter obtaining a

big game permit in areas used by condors gets a mailing explaining the

voluntary program and asking them to participate.

There has been a free non-lead ammunition program on the Kaibab Plateau

and most of the area covered by this suit since 2005, and last year 90

percent of surveyed hunters took voluntary lead reduction efforts during

their hunt. This unprecedented effort has resulted in lower condor blood

lead levels, less treatment of birds and no lead-related mortalities in

the past two years.

The Arizona Strip provides important recreational opportunities,

including hunting, fishing, wildlife watching, hiking and other outdoor

pursuits.

--------------------

 

The NRA has also decided to participate in the lawsuit. There was a

press release about it sometime ago - it is probably mentioned on their

website.

 

Thank you for asking for the facts, and please let me know if you have

any other questions.

[HaYen]

Glad to hear some correct information is getting out there. I can't

respond to blogs and such, but I don't mind you saying that you got your

facts from me. I would prefer that people call me and ask for the

correct information rather than spread rumors and misinformation.

Thanks for supporting our voluntary efforts!

 

Regarding the ban in CA - there is conflicting reports on its

effectiveness. An in-field survey of hunters by CA Fish and Game

reported a 99% compliance rate. Folks I work with that talk to hunters

and ranchers on a daily basis suspect the compliance rate is more like

70% though. Since most people answer "yes" when law enforcement asks if

they are obeying the law, it's likely the reported 99% compliance is

higher than the actual compliance rate. Non-lead rifle bullets often

look identical to copper-jacketed lead bullets - so field checks aren't

easy (not like using a magnet to check lead vs. steel shot). Reports

have shown a slight decrease in lead exposure rates since the ban, but

two condors have died of lead poisoning since the ban. Similar to our

voluntary efforts, the success of the ban really depends on education

and cooperation. I will be meeting with the CA folks in a couple weeks

to get a full update on the lead situation. We all want the same

outcome, just going about it in different ways.

 

Kathy

 

Kathy Sullivan Condor Program Coordinator Arizona Game and Fish

Department

3500 S Lake Mary Rd. Flagstaff, AZ 86001 ph: 928-214-1249

[DesertBull]

maybe they should keep those things in a zoo or in an enclosure at the GC visitors center and they wouldn't eat lead.

 

Then they could name them and talk to them and put little sweaters on them and take them for a ride in their Subaru.