Lead Exposure in
Condors
Monterey County Fish and Game Commission Meeting
August 10, 2010
Presented By Joe Burnett, Sr. Wildlife Biologist
Ventana Wildlife Society
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North America’s largest flying land bird with a 9-1/2 foot
wingspan, weighing 20-25lbs
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Can live 50-60 years in the wild
Typically lay one egg every other year and mate for life
Condor Facts
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Opportunistic scavengers
Do not kill animals and do not have talons
Condors primarily scavenge on pig, deer, sea lion
and cattle carcasses
Currently, condors feed on both supplemental
and wild food sources
Condor Facts
1987- Last Wild Condor Removed From The Wild,
Only 27 Condors Remain, all in Captivity
 1988- First Egg Laid In Captivity
 1992- First Release Of Captive-born Condors In
Southern CA
 1996- First Release In Arizona
 1997- First Release In Monterey County, Big Sur
 2003- First Releases In Pinnacles And Baja, Mex
 2005- First Successful Nest In Southern CA
 2007- First Successful Nest In Monterey County
 2009- First Successful Nest In San Benito County
 2010- CA Free-Flying Population reaches 90+ birds
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Condor Recovery Timeline
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150 free-flying condors in CA.
Currently 96 = 54 in Cen Cal and 42 in So Cal
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150 condors in captivity 150 +
15 Breeding Pairs in the wild 12 Pairs
Positive growth rate for wild flock NO
Recovery Goals- California
Condor Release Sites
Lead Toxicosis Ban on lead ammo in condor range
Powerline collisions Removal/marking lines
Intentional Shooting Education/Outreach
Trash Ingestion in nestlings Trash Clean-up
West Nile Virus Vaccine protects condors
DDT Limits egg production
Natural:
 Predation (Golden Eagles, Coyotes,
Rattlesnakes)
 Wild Fires
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Limiting Factors
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Federal requirement banned lead shot for hunting
waterfowl in 1991
Bald Eagles, our National Symbol, are hunters/scavengers
that have been documented ingesting spent lead ammo in
carcasses, many die as a result
Lead Toxcity and Wildlife
Lead Exposure in Condors
Lead ammunition is the primary source of lead
exposure in condors
How do we now this?
 Pathway exists- Lead fragments are ingested when
condors consume hunter-shot game/gut piles.
 Lead source confirmed by recovery of lead shot and
bullet fragments from digestive tracts of condors.
 Tissue and blood isotopes match those of lead ammo.
 Other lead sources ruled out:
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Fishing sinkers
Tire irons
Paint
Atmospheric/environmental
Source of Lead in Condors
Radiographs of spent lead ammo
fragments in rifle-killed deer
Effective July 1, 2008
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The number of condors exposed to lead
levels (higher than 10 mg/dl) has dropped
since ban
Isolated severe poisoning events still
persist
In 2009, two condors were lost to lead
poisoning
In 2010, nest at Pinnacles failed after
chick and parents were lead-poisoned
Case studies condor 303 and 401…
Post-ban Lead Exposure
Condor 303, lead shot in gut
Condor 401- Lead shot in gut
Does Non-lead ammo…
• Provide condors a safe food source? YES
• Make hunting illegal in condor areas? NO
• Requires use of non-lead ammo? YES
• Benefits other wildlife like Bald Eagles? YES
Condors and Hunting
Non-lead Bullets
Non-lead bullets were designed for
hunters, not for condor biologists. They
are used by hunters and hunting guides
all over the world
 Ballistics equal to Lead ammo
 Non-lead bullets kill game
 Yes, they do work
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Non-Lead Bullets: Do they work?
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Must sight in your rifle with non-lead ammo
Guns shoot differently, need to find out what
non-lead ammo works best with your gun
They can pass through animal: they expand
on impact (no fragmentation), but carry
more energy due to increased weight
retention.
You still get same stopping power and same
end result= one dead animal
Fouling- Newer non-lead ammo has fouling
similar to copper jacketed lead ammo.
Transitioning to Non-lead ammo
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Ammo Brothers, Barnes Bullets Inc. , Black
Hills Ammunition, CCI , Cutting Edge Bullets,
Custom Cartridge, Inc. , Dakota Ammo (CORBON/Glaser) , D Dupleks Ltd. , Dynamic
Research Technologies (DRT), Federal
Cartridge Company , Hornady Mfg. Co,
International Cartridge Company, Magtech
Ammunition Company, Miwall Corporation ,
North Fork Bullets, Nosler, Inc. ,P-bar Co.,
LLC , Remington Arms Co., Inc , Sinterfire,
Inc ,Snake River Ammunition , Stars &
Stripes Ammunition, Tombob Outdoors, LLC ,
Weatherby, Inc. ,Winchester Ammunition
Non-lead ammo Manufacturers
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Hunter compliance is very good, but not yet
100%.
Without full compliance, condors will remain
at risk to lead poisoning.
One lead-tainted carcass can poison a flock
Attend upcoming Lead-free shooting event
and sight in your rifle with free ammo.
◦ Ft. Hunter Liggett: Friday, August 13th (10am3pm)
◦ Camp Roberts: Saturday, August 21st (10am-3pm)
How can we get better hunter compliance?
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Non-lead ammo Rebate Program
◦ Provide hunters a coupon to discount the costs
of non-lead ammo. In exchange, ask the
hunter to complete a survey form
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Provide hunters direct evidence of nonlead ammunition killing game
◦ Hire a professional pig hunting guide to lead a
hunt and document results of non-lead bullets.
◦ If possible, recover bullets from carcasses
and/or evaluate dropping power.
◦ Provide this data in a report to Monterey Fish
and Game Commission and distribute to hunter
Other ways to Increase Compliance…
YES
Can condors and hunters coexist?