Lead Shot Ban Saves Waterfowl - prevention of wildlife lead-poisoning deaths - Brief Article

The 1991 nationwide ban on lead shot, which NWF was instrumental in bringing about, has had remarkable success in preventing the lead poisoning deaths of millions of waterfowl, according to a new study funded in part by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

After examining thousands of ducks harvested in the Mississippi Flyway during the 1996 and 1997 waterfowl seasons, researchers concluded that the ban prevented the lead poisoning deaths of some 1.4 million ducks in the 1997 fall flight of 90 million ducks. They estimated that poisoning deaths among mallards were down by 64 percent, while overall ingestion of toxic lead pellets had declined 78 percent over pre-ban levels.

During the 1980s, NWF led the conservation community in petitioning the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for a nationwide ban of lead shot, which poisons waterfowl that swallow lead pellets while grubbing for food on the bottoms of lakes and streams, and other birds such as bald eagles that feed on crippled or poisoned waterfowl. When the agency failed to act, NWF filed suit under the Endangered Species Act and several other federal laws. That action led to the 1991 ban, which was phased in over five years.

The Fish and Wildlife Service now estimates that the ban has benefited some 27 species of birds other than waterfowl, including bald eagles.

COPYRIGHT 2001 National Wildlife Federation
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