Hunting Waterfowl: Rifle Bullets and Wildlife Areas

hunting waterfowl: The birds ingest lead when they scavenge the carcasses of animals killed with lead shotgun pellets or rifle bullets that contain the toxin, Hope said, according to CTV. The Canadian government banned lead for hunting waterfowl two decades ago, and non-toxic shot is now required to hunt most migratory game birds across the country. The Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society, or OWL, in Delta, B.C., is currently treating two eagles for lead poisoning and it can see up to 20 raptors each year, said long-time raptor caretaker Rob Hope. Lead shot is also prohibited for all types of hunting in 55 national wildlife areas. It's unclear how many birds are being poisoned and the source of the lead poisoning is hard to pin down, said John Elliott, a research scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada in B.C. In addition to spent ammunition, the birds can also ingest lead through fishing tackle. But pellets and bullets containing lead are still widely used to hunt large game and upland game birds, such as grouse or pheasant. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.