I see far too many birds suffering from lead poisoning at the raptor-rehab facility where I work. In the space of just two weeks, we received a bald eagle and two turkey vultures with lead poisoning. The good news is that after pumping one of the turkey vultures' stomachs, we are almost ready to release both back into the wild!
Sadly, the bald eagle was not so lucky. The day I had to help euthanize her was the day I decided to work towards getting lead ammunition banned in Colorado.
There are two big problems with lead ammunition. First, birds eat the spent ammo they find in carrion and elsewhere, ingesting toxic poison. Furthermore, much lead shrapnel makes it to the dinner plates back home -- a dangerous meal for children and pregnant women.
California just passed a law banning lead ammunition to help both wildlife and public health. Please sign my Care2 petition demanding that Colorado officials do the same thing!
Above photo from Raptor Education Group, Inc., Antigo, WI
Lead is a known neurotoxin -- which means spent lead ammunition is a widespread killer of more than 75 species of birds including bald eagles, endangered condors, loons, swans, and nearly 50 mammals. It even endangers hunters and their families when they consume game riddled with lead fragments. The science is conclusive: Lead perpetuates the needless poisoning of millions of wild animals every year. And you have the power to protect Colorado's families and wildlife from preventable lead poisoning. Affordable, effective nontoxic alternatives for lead ammunition and lead sinkers exist for all hunting and fishing activities, and we've already taken the lead out of gasoline, plumbing, and paint. Even the military is moving to "green ammo." I'm asking you to regulate lead ammunition -- use your power to prevent the deaths of millions of wild animals! I urge you to support a ban on toxic lead in bullets and shot!
