Persistence and progress
April 24, 2024
Dr. Patrick T Redig

Preventing lead poisoning in eagles has been part of The Raptor Center’s (TRC) history of eagle restoration and preservation as far back as the early 1970s. Despite national, multi-organizational, and legislative best efforts over the years, lead poisoning in bald eagles persists.

In 1997, TRC published the paper “Sixteen years of lead poisoning in eagles 1980–1995” identifying the persistent source of exposure from deer carcass remains left in the field during deer season. Inspired by similar findings in California condors, a long-term investigation was launched in Minnesota to confirm the findings.

Left: A spent lead bullet with lead fragmentation debris. Right: A spent copper bullet with no fragmentation
Left: A spent lead bullet with lead fragmentation debris. Right: A spent copper bullet with no fragmentation. | Photo by
Anthony Baffo

By 2012, efforts to mitigate this issue saw partial successes, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s ban on lead ammunition in certain refuges and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources restricting lead use in state parks and natural areas. However, broader legislative changes faced significant opposition and still do today.

Due to these legislative hurdles, a strategic shift in 2015 toward engagement and education led to the formation of the “Copper Roundtable,” a collaborative effort aimed at promoting non-toxic ammunition alternatives. In 2020, this initiative gained momentum through what became the Hunter’s Choice Program, a grant issued by Minnesota’s Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund to provide hunters with unique interactive experiences using non-toxic ammunition and, through education, encourage them to voluntarily switch their ammunition choice. This program has reached more than 1,500 hunters in Minnesota. The work is not done as TRC continues to admit and treat eagles poisoned with lead.

The drive toward change is gradual. Educational efforts at TRC aim to instill a responsible hunting ethos in younger generations, demonstrating non-toxic ammunition as both effective for hunting and safer for the environment. The ultimate goal is a future where eagles and other wildlife are no longer threatened by lead poisoning, a testament to the power of informed, compassionate conservation efforts.

Radiographs

Radiograph view of an eagle revealing lead fragments in the stomach
Radiograph view of an eagle revealing lead fragments in the stomach
Radiograph view of an eagle revealing lead fragments in the stomach

Raptors in this article

Photo
A bald eagle

Bald eagle

Photo
A Golden Eagle

Golden eagle