Newswise — Denver/July 6, 2023 –A recent article in the Wildlife Society Bulletin reveals that, despite the recovery of bald eagle populations, lead ammunition fragments found in remains of hunted animals are not only causing illness and mortality in bald eagles but also heightening their vulnerability to additional threats.
Krysten L. Schuler, the lead researcher of the Morris Animal Foundation-funded project and Assistant Research Professor at Cornell University, emphasized the significance of bald eagles as a symbol of American wildlife. She highlighted that despite the evident rebound of their populations due to extensive conservation measures, their exposure to environmental lead has been proven to cause severe illness and mortality. This not only puts the bald eagle populations at risk but also renders them more susceptible to other hazards such as avian influenza or the development of wind energy projects.
Schuler drew attention to the study's innovative approach, which incorporated a groundbreaking methodology developed by population demographics expert Brenda Hanley, a mathematician. By analyzing data from seven states in the Northeast region, the research effectively demonstrated that while lead poisoning has not halted the recovery of bald eagles, it does compromise their resilience against further dangers.
Schuler expressed gratitude for the invaluable support provided by the Foundation, which made it possible for the researchers to enlist the expertise of Hanley and create a novel modeling tool specifically tailored to tackle the intricate challenges associated with this study. This was especially crucial in situations where data availability was limited.
Kevin Hynes, a wildlife biologist at the New York Division of Fish and Wildlife and a participant in the study, highlighted that lead poisoning has long been acknowledged as a prevalent factor contributing to eagle mortality, responsible for over 10% of eagle fatalities. However, the implementation of the new modeling approach has provided researchers with a deeper understanding: lead contamination is not only causing eagle deaths but also impeding the sustained expansion of eagle populations.
Hynes emphasized that the issue at hand is an environmental problem that can be effectively addressed with an existing, low-tech solution. He proposed a straightforward remedy: transitioning to non-lead ammunition for hunting. By making this switch, the presence of lead ammunition fragments in gut piles and carcass parts would be eliminated, thereby preventing eagles and other scavengers from accessing them.
About Morris Animal Foundation
Morris Animal Foundation’s mission is to bridge science and resources to advance the health of animals. Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Denver, it is one of the largest nonprofit animal health research organizations in the world, funding more than $149 million in nearly 3,000 critical studies across a broad range of species. Learn more at morrisanimalfoundation.org.
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