Lead Exposure in Condors

Monterey County Fish and Game Commission MeetingAugust 10, 2010

Presented By Joe Burnett, Sr. Wildlife BiologistVentana Wildlife Society

Condor Facts

North America’s largest flying land bird with a 9-1/2 foot wingspan, weighing 20-25lbs

Can live 50-60 years in the wild Typically lay one egg every other year and mate for life

Condor Facts

Opportunistic scavengersDo not kill animals and do not have talonsCondors primarily scavenge on pig, deer, sea lion and cattle

carcassesCurrently, condors feed on both supplemental and wild food

sources

Condor Recovery Timeline

1987- Last Wild Condor Removed From The Wild, Only 27 Condors Remain, all in Captivity

1988- First Egg Laid In Captivity1992- First Release Of Captive-born Condors In

Southern CA1996- First Release In Arizona1997- First Release In Monterey County, Big Sur2003- First Releases In Pinnacles And Baja, Mex2005- First Successful Nest In Southern CA2007- First Successful Nest In Monterey County2009- First Successful Nest In San Benito County2010- CA Free-Flying Population reaches 90+ birds

Recovery Goals- California

150 free-flying condors in CA.

150 condors in captivity15 Breeding Pairs in the wildPositive growth rate for wild flock

Currently 96 = 54 in Cen Cal and 42 in So Cal150 +

12 PairsNO

Condor Release Sites

Limiting Factors

Lead Toxicosis Powerline collisionsIntentional ShootingTrash Ingestion in nestlings West Nile VirusDDTNatural:Predation (Golden Eagles, Coyotes,

Rattlesnakes)Wild Fires

Vaccine protects condorsTrash Clean-up

Education/OutreachRemoval/marking lines

Ban on lead ammo in condor range

Limits egg production

Lead Toxcity and Wildlife

Federal requirement banned lead shot for hunting waterfowl in 1991 Bald Eagles, our National Symbol, are hunters/scavengers that have

been documented ingesting spent lead ammo in carcasses, many die as a result

Lead Exposure in Condors

Source of Lead in Condors

Lead ammunition is the primary source of lead exposure in condors

How do we now this? Pathway exists- Lead fragments are ingested when condors

consume hunter-shot game/gut piles. Lead source confirmed by recovery of lead shot and bullet

fragments from digestive tracts of condors. Tissue and blood isotopes match those of lead ammo. Other lead sources ruled out:

◦Fishing sinkers◦Tire irons◦Paint ◦Atmospheric/environmental

Radiographs of spent lead ammo fragments in rifle-killed deer

Effective July 1, 2008

Post-ban Lead Exposure

The number of condors exposed to lead levels (higher than 10 mg/dl) has dropped since ban

Isolated severe poisoning events still persist In 2009, two condors were lost to lead

poisoningIn 2010, nest at Pinnacles failed after chick

and parents were lead-poisonedCase studies condor 303 and 401…

Condor 303, lead shot in gut

Condor 401- Lead shot in gut

Condors and Hunting

Does Non-lead ammo…• Provide condors a safe food source? YES• Make hunting illegal in condor areas? NO• Requires use of non-lead ammo? YES• Benefits other wildlife like Bald Eagles? YES

Non-lead Bullets

Non-Lead Bullets: Do they work?

Non-lead bullets were designed for hunters, not for condor biologists. They are used by hunters and hunting guides all over the world

Ballistics equal to Lead ammoNon-lead bullets kill gameYes, they do work

Transitioning to Non-lead ammo

Must sight in your rifle with non-lead ammoGuns shoot differently, need to find out what

non-lead ammo works best with your gunThey can pass through animal: they expand on

impact (no fragmentation), but carry more energy due to increased weight retention.

You still get same stopping power and same end result= one dead animal

Fouling- Newer non-lead ammo has fouling similar to copper jacketed lead ammo.

Non-lead ammo Manufacturers

Ammo Brothers, Barnes Bullets Inc. , Black Hills Ammunition, CCI , Cutting Edge Bullets, Custom Cartridge, Inc. , Dakota Ammo (COR-BON/Glaser) , D Dupleks Ltd. , Dynamic Research Technologies (DRT), Federal Cartridge Company , Hornady Mfg. Co, International Cartridge Company, Magtech Ammunition Company, Miwall Corporation , North Fork Bullets, Nosler, Inc. ,P-bar Co., LLC , Remington Arms Co., Inc , Sinterfire, Inc ,Snake River Ammunition , Stars & Stripes Ammunition, Tombob Outdoors, LLC , Weatherby, Inc. ,Winchester Ammunition

How can we get better hunter compliance?

Hunter compliance is very good, but not yet 100%.

Without full compliance, condors will remain at risk to lead poisoning.

One lead-tainted carcass can poison a flock

Attend upcoming Lead-free shooting event and sight in your rifle with free ammo.◦Ft. Hunter Liggett: Friday, August 13th (10am-3pm)◦Camp Roberts: Saturday, August 21st (10am-3pm)

Other ways to Increase Compliance…

Non-lead ammo Rebate Program◦Provide hunters a coupon to discount the costs of

non-lead ammo. In exchange, ask the hunter to complete a survey form

Provide hunters direct evidence of non-lead ammunition killing game◦Hire a professional pig hunting guide to lead a hunt

and document results of non-lead bullets.◦If possible, recover bullets from carcasses and/or

evaluate dropping power.◦Provide this data in a report to Monterey Fish and

Game Commission and distribute to hunter

Can condors and hunters coexist?

YES