Senate passes bill to require non-lead ammo in condor
country
The California State Senate recently passed Assembly Bill 821,
the Ridley Tree Condor Preservation Act with a vote of 23-15.
Senate passes bill to require non-lead ammo in condor country
The California State Senate recently passed Assembly Bill 821, the Ridley Tree Condor Preservation Act with a vote of 23-15. The legislation will require the use of non-lead ammunition for hunting big game and coyotes within the California condor range in central and southern California, starting July 1, 2008.
The state Assembly approved the bill May 14 with a vote of 42-32. The bill will now go back to the Assembly for review of amendments.
“The Condor Preservation Act will significantly reduce lead poisoning of condors in California and is an important first step in getting lead out of the food chain,” said Jeff Miller, a spokesperson for the Center for Biological Diversity. “Lead is an extremely toxic substance that we have sensibly removed from most of our environment, including water pipes, gasoline, paint and cooking utensils. It only makes sense to protect our most imperiled wildlife from harmful lead exposure and also reduce the human health risk.”
Pedro Nava, an assembly member from Santa Barbara, introduced the bill after a group of health and conservation organizations, hunters and American Indians launched a “Get the Lead Out” campaign to get rid of lead bullets in condor habitat.
“The desired outcome is that lead will be reduced in the area,” said Carl Brenner, a spokesperson for Pinnacles National Monument. “The upswing for our birds is there is less opportunity for them to pick up lead in the environment. The need for emergency treatment would be dramatically reduced.”
With less need for treatment, the park staff would be able to focus on educating the public and studying the birds’ behavior.
“Our goal is to educate, not legislate,” Brenner said. “It makes our job easier. We can concentrate on what they are doing and learn more about them instead of spending that time and energy on treatment and transportation.”
The Fish and Game Commission is also considering options to expand restrictions to require non-lead ammunition for hunting big game, non-game birds and smaller mammals. One source of lead shot is the killing of “pest” animals such as squirrels or wild pigs. The commission is looking at options that would ban lead bullets in condor habitat, through the current and historic condor range or statewide. The commission is expected to vote at its October or November meeting.
During an Aug. 27 hearing, the Commission listened to testimony from condor recovery managers, toxicologists and staff from the Los Angeles Zoo. They all agreed lead ammunition fragments are impeding the recovery of the condor.
Before the August meeting the regional director of the Pacific West Region of the National Park Service sent a letter to the Fish and Game Commission in support of lead-free ammunition.
“We are proudly participating in this non-lead campaign, the first of its kind in California,” wrote Jonathan B. Jarvis, the regional director. “The campaign will educate the community about the availability of non-lead ammunition by providing non-lead shooting demonstrations that are free to the public.”
The letter noted the staff had performed five emergency chelation treatments in the past 13 months to detoxify one-third of the Pinnacles flock.
Other groups involved in the campaign also supported the first step in elminating lead bullets in condor country.
“We are pleased the Legislature has taken the first step in addressing lead exposure, and we encourage the Fish and Game Commission to take further action and phase out lead ammunition statewide,” said Peter Galvin, conservation director with the center. “Statewide regulations are needed to address lead exposure from other hunting besides big game, such as bird hunting and depredation hunting, to end lead poisoning of other wildlife species such as the bald and golden eagles, and to safeguard human health.”
Several condors statewide have suffered from lead exposure recently, including 17 in recent months. One condor died while undergoing chelation treatment at the Los Angeles Zoo. The condor had 10 times the amount of lead that would trigger emergency treatment.
The Condor Preservation Act will initiate a coupon program to provide hunters within the condor range with non-lead ammunition at no or reduced charge.
More information can be found at www.savethecondors.org.
