Lead bullets destroy wild animals

According to a new report by the US Geological Survey, millions of pounds of use in hunting, fishing and sports using cumulative guns in the environment each year can threaten or destroy wild nature. wild

It has long been known that lead destroys biology. In the past, lead was used in gasoline, paints, pesticides, food cans. Currently the use of lead is almost completely removed. Lead bullets have been banned for hunting waterfowl since 1991, but using lead as ammunition for hunting in the mountains, sports with guns and fishing gear are still popular.

X-ray film of the gastrointestinal tract of the white eagle contains many lead bullets.(Photo: Jacobson et al. 1977, courtesy of Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association)

Many previous studies have resulted in dangerous environmental consequences of lead, especially waterbirds or rotten meat like hawks or eagles. Cases of lead exposure from the road to the stomach of lead bullets, fishing bullets or lead fishing also appear in reptiles. Studies conducted near the hunting area provide evidence of lead poisoning in small mammals.

USGS has just published pictures of a baby eagle carrying many lead bullets inside his body along with a photo of a pelic stomach filled with fishing gear.

According to the report, the outdoor hunting area generally uses over 80,000 tons of lead bullets and bullets each year . Although there is no accurate estimate of the amount of lead fishing gear used in the environment, about 4,382 tons of fishing nets are sold each year in the United States. Highland hunting animals also use up to 400,000 shots per acre .

According to pollutant expert Barnett Rattner and Chris Franson, the path of lead poisoning mainly for wild animals is to ingest lead bullets or fishing bullets, lead nets and fishing gear and related items. other officials; or by eating dead or injured prey that already carries many lead bullets, bullets and lead-based tools in the body. The two men are also the lead author of the Technical Report of the Wildlife Association and co-author, along with five other experts on a fishing industry article on the same topic.

Stomach pelicans contain hooks, hooks and strings.( Photo: Scott Hansen, USGS)

Rattner said: 'Science has garnered a lot of evidence that ingestion of used ammunition and fishing gear can kill birds. The level of lead poisoning in some species such as waterbirds, eagles, California vultures, swans and diving birds is astonishing. For this reason, on June 1, 2008, California issued a law prohibiting the use of lead bullets in areas with ancient California vultures due to lead as a major threat to endangered birds. this'.

Lead poisoning results in biochemical, physiological and behavioral consequences or even death. Very high mortality rates can affect populations of a number of wildlife species. Although fish feed on fishing nets, hooks or hooks, fish mortality rates are also related to injury, blood loss, air exposure and exhaustion rather than lead poisoning. Enjoy the warm-blooded animals.

Lead poisoning leads to serious biochemical and physiological consequences, even leading to the death of animals.(Photo: img.alibaba)

Lead also dissolves slowly in groundwater, making water dangerous to plants, animals, and even humans if it penetrates into water circuits or deposits in roots . According to Rattner, dissolved lead can lead to lead contamination in groundwater near some areas that are allowed to be hunted and in the largest hunting venues where hunting takes place this year. another year.

According to USGS, some states in the United States have restricted the use of lead bullets in mountain areas to minimize the consequences, some others are considering restrictive measures. Environmentally safe products that can replace lead and mesh bullets are now available in North America and elsewhere. But the use of substitutes has not been widely available.