Tell Fish and Game: No Lead Ammo in Condor Habitat!

Lead poisoning is the leading cause of death for California Condors reintroduced to the wild. For years experts have warned that toxic lead ammunition is poisoning these rare birds and presents the single greatest obstacle to their recovery. In addition to numerous previous studies, five new ones published this year provide overwhelming evidence that the lead ammunition poisoning condors comes from carcasses and gut piles that hunters leave behind.

At least 15 condor deaths in California and Arizona since 1992 are known or suspected to be due to lead poisoning. There were also more than 75 incidents in which poisoned condors required invasive chelation therapy to "de-lead" their blood and save their lives after feeding on lead-tainted carcasses.

If you're in or near Sacramento, please attend the meeting on October 11, and tell the Commission in person that it should require the use of non-lead ammunition for all game hunting in the condor range. The meeting will take place in the conference room of the Department of Fish and Game building in Sacramento, located at 1812 9th Street, between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. If you can't make the meeting, please send a letter urging the Commission to finally take action to protect the California Condor.