CALIFORNIA CONDOR
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California Condors
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WELL, Maybe, I have found a new and reliable source
for Condor information, remember I said maybe.
This person is a Park Ranger --Intertation person for the Grand Canyon National park.
The person's (ladies) name is
Ms. Marker Marshall
Marker_Marshall@nps.gov
Should you question any of her information.
up-dates as of 10/12/2007
I will post more up dates as I get them.
10/15/2007
Hunters and Condor enthusiasts:
Since the issue of lead ammunition and condors has been so much in the news
lately, you may find the following link helpful. It's an excellent 2-page
summary of the lead issue by Peregrine Fund scientists.
http://www.peregrinefund.org/pdfs/Commentaries/PositionLeadAmmunition2007.pdf
If you prefer the nutshell version, I found the following sections
particularly relevant:
"As these [wild condors] have become more adept at finding and consuming
animal remains, the incidence of lead exposure has increased to the point
where lead poisoning is now the most frequent cause of death. This is
troubling because the naturally slow rate of reproduction in condors
renders their populations highly sensitive to even small increases in
mortality. Our research has revealed the principal source to be lead from
spent bullets and shotgun pellets in the remains of gun-killed animals.
Evidence includes (1) associations of lead-exposed condors with deer
hunting areas, (2) temporal correlations of high exposure with deer hunting
seasons, (3) a radiographic study of rifle bullet fragmentation showing the
presence of hundreds of lead particles in whole deer and gut piles, and (4)
>15 confirmed cases showing the presence of bullet fragments or shotgun
pellets in condor digestive systems. Continued blood testing reveals that
the majority of individual condors are exposed each year (90% in 2006),
many of which require treatment (70% in 2006); five individuals died of
lead poisoning in 2006. Lead exposure is currently so prevalent that the
population cannot maintain itself by natural reproduction unless lead
incidence in the wild food supply is greatly reduced...."
"Given the extensive evidence that lead exposure from spent ammunition is
harmful to wildlife it now appears obvious that responsible society will
end the use of lead for hunting throughout much of the world. Accumulating
scientific evidence indicates that lead has even more serious consequences
than formerly believed. The majority of rifle-killed animal remains left in
the field and consumed by scavengers are now known to contain considerable
quantities of lead. In addition to condors, the affected species for which
data exist include bald eagles, golden eagles, ravens, mourning doves,
upland game birds, and more than 50 other species of birds known to be
poisoned by ingesting spent bullet fragments and shotgun pellets found in
the environment. Indeed, carcasses contain so much lead that hunters must
seriously consider whether human consumers of deer meat are not also at
risk. Several investigations have found elevated lead levels in subsistence
hunter families, a serious issue considering that even small amounts of
lead exposure in developing children may substantially and permanently
reduce cognitive ability. No one would knowingly want to so expose their
families, but right now investigations into rates and consequences of human
ingestion of spent ammunition are still in progress."
--Marker
Ms. Marker Marshall
Park Ranger--Interpretation
Grand Canyon National Park
P.O. Box 129
Grand Canyon, AZ 86023
voice: (928) 638-7830
fax: (928) 638-7776
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