Species Recovery
Lead Poisoning in Wildlife
The Alliance Species Recovery team is exploring ways to address the impact of lead poisoning on wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. Lead ammunition, commonly used for hunting, poisons wildlife directly, as well as through the food chain when predators or scavengers eat prey with lead ammunition in their bodies. Another concern is lead poisoning in people who eat wildlife hunted with lead ammunition.
Following a successful captive breeding program, the Oregon Zoo is working toward releasing captive-bred California Condors into the Pacific Northwest. However, the issue of lead poisoning must be resolved to eliminate this risk to their survival. Possible non-regulatory approaches include voluntary ammunition exchanges (where lead ammunition is exchanged for equally effective non-lead alternatives) and outreach and education.
