{"id":23173,"date":"2022-04-13T11:13:19","date_gmt":"2022-04-13T15:13:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=23173"},"modified":"2022-04-13T11:13:20","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T15:13:20","slug":"cronkite-news-study-highlights-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-eagles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/04\/13\/cronkite-news-study-highlights-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-eagles\/","title":{"rendered":"Cronkite News: Study highlights impact of lead poisoning in eagles"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Bd3ybplKYkA?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Cronkite News Video by Payton Major: <a href=https:\/\/youtu.be\/Bd3ybplKYkA>Eagle Recovery<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<div class=\"h3-responsive font-weight-bold\">New study shows nearly half of bald eagles affected by chronic lead poisoning<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"date\">Wednesday, April 13, 2022<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"byline\">By Troy Hill<\/div>\r\n<DIV class=source>Cronkite News<\/DIV>\r\n<DIV class=source-website><A \r\nhref=\"https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/\">cronkitenews.azpbs.org<\/A><\/DIV>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nPHOENIX, Arizona &#8212;  A new study from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.abj3068\">the journal Science<\/a> found that almost half of bald eagles and golden eagles in Arizona and 37 other states suffered from chronic lead poisoning.<P><\/P>\r\nThe main way eagles consume lead is through their diet. Lead bullets and shot used in hunting game and varmints break apart on impact, and the carcasses are scavenged by birds of prey, who then ingest the lead.<P><\/P>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/04\/13\/cronkite-news-study-highlights-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-eagles\/goldeneagle\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-23179\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" data-attachment-id=\"23179\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/04\/13\/cronkite-news-study-highlights-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-eagles\/goldeneagle\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/GoldenEagle-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;A golden eagle rests in its enclosure at Liberty Wildlife in south Phoenix on March 4, 2022. (Photo by Troy Hill\/Cronkite News)&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1646389655&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Golden Eagle\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Golden Eagle&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;A golden eagle rests in its enclosure at Liberty Wildlife in south Phoenix on March 4, 2022. (Photo by Troy Hill\/Cronkite News)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/GoldenEagle-1024x683.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/GoldenEagle-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Golden Eagle\"   class=\"size-full wp-image-23179\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"figure-caption\"> A golden eagle rests in its enclosure at Liberty Wildlife in south Phoenix on March 4, 2022.  Photo by Troy Hill \/ Cronkite News <\/figcaption>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nExperts say solutions are simple: use nonlead ammunition or remove gut piles and carcasses from the field. The Arizona Game &amp; Fish Department has a program that in certain cases allows hunters to swap their lead ammo for free.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cWe&#8217;ve had 80 to 90% over the last decade of hunters in the area either switching to nonlead alternatives or removing their gut piles out of the environment,\u201d said Kenneth \u201cTuk\u201d Jacobson, the department\u2019s raptor management coordinator.<P><\/P>\r\n \r\n \r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/04\/13\/cronkite-news-study-highlights-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-eagles\/juvenilebaldeagle\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-23177\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2340\" height=\"1736\" data-attachment-id=\"23177\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/04\/13\/cronkite-news-study-highlights-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-eagles\/juvenilebaldeagle\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/JuvenileBaldEagle.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2340,1736\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;A juvenile bald eagle, which has been rehabilitated by the staff at Liberty Wildlife  in south Phoenix, flies inside an enclosure at the refuge on March 4, 2022. (Photo by Troy Hill\/Cronkite News)&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1646389088&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Juvenile Bald Eagle\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Juvenile Bald Eagle&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;A juvenile bald eagle, which has been rehabilitated by the staff at Liberty Wildlife  in south Phoenix, flies inside an enclosure at the refuge on March 4, 2022. (Photo by Troy Hill\/Cronkite News)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/JuvenileBaldEagle-1024x760.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/JuvenileBaldEagle.jpg\" alt=\"Juvenile Bald Eagle\"  class=\"size-full wp-image-23177\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"figure-caption\"> A juvenile bald eagle, which has been rehabilitated by the staff at Liberty Wildlife  in south Phoenix, flies inside an enclosure at the refuge on March 4, 2022.  Photo by Troy Hill \/ Cronkite News <\/figcaption>\r\n  \r\n<p><\/p>\r\nVince Sable, a wildlife research biologist and one of the authors of the Science study, said the poisoning is suppressing bald eagle populations by 4%, slowing the 10% growth seen over the past several years. Lead poisoning also can impair eagles\u2019 ability to fly.<P><\/P>\r\nThe study showed that 46% to 47% of bald and golden eagles had chronic lead poisoning and 27% to 33% of bald eagles had acute lead poisoning. The figure for chronic lead poisoning was determined by finding traces of lead in the birds\u2019 bones, showing lower levels of exposure over long periods of time. Acute lead poisoning was determined by finding lead in the animals\u2019 blood and feathers, which shows higher concentrations of exposure in shorter periods of time.<P><\/P>\r\nThe condor population has suffered from the same lead poisoning, which nearly drove them to extinction, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/animals\/article\/bald-eagles-golden-eagles-lead-poisoning-ammunition\">National Geographic<\/a>.<P><\/P>\r\n<div class=row><div class=col-7>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/04\/13\/cronkite-news-study-highlights-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-eagles\/baldeagle-2\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-23181\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2029\" height=\"2560\" data-attachment-id=\"23181\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/04\/13\/cronkite-news-study-highlights-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-eagles\/baldeagle-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/BaldEagle-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2029,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;A bald eagle stares through the fencing of its enclosure at Liberty Wildlife in south Phoenix on March 4, 2022. (Photo by Troy Hill\/Cronkite News)&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1646389531&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Bald Eagle\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Bald Eagle&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;A bald eagle stares through the fencing of its enclosure at Liberty Wildlife in south Phoenix on March 4, 2022. (Photo by Troy Hill\/Cronkite News)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/BaldEagle-812x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/BaldEagle-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Bald Eagle\"   class=\"size-full wp-image-23181\" \/><\/a> <\/div>\r\n<div class=\"col-5 align-self-end\"><figcaption class=\"figure-caption\"> A bald eagle stares through the fencing of its enclosure at Liberty Wildlife in south Phoenix on March 4, 2022.  Photo by Troy Hill \/ Cronkite News <\/figcaption><\/div><\/div>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cA lot of it is open areas where (scavengers) are feeding on carrion and carcasses that are left out,\u201d said Jan Miller, animal care coordinator at Liberty Wildlife, an animal rehabilitation and refuge center in south Phoenix. \r\n<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cOftentimes, people will go out and varmint hunt, and they&#8217;ll do things like shoot rabbits or shoot coyotes and then leave it there with the intention of \u2026 animals can feed on it,\u201d she said.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cThe unfortunate thing is they don&#8217;t understand that the lead is going to poison the animals that are now going to eat that carcass,\u201d said Miller.<P><\/P>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/04\/13\/cronkite-news-study-highlights-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-eagles\/hawk\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-23182\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" data-attachment-id=\"23182\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/04\/13\/cronkite-news-study-highlights-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-eagles\/hawk\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/Hawk-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Liberty Wildlife employees examine a hawk in an operating room at the refugee in south Phoenix on March 4, 2022. (Photo by Troy Hill\/Cronkite News)&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1646388264&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Hawk\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Hawk&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Liberty Wildlife employees examine a hawk in an operating room at the refugee in south Phoenix on March 4, 2022. (Photo by Troy Hill\/Cronkite News)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/Hawk-1024x683.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/Hawk-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Hawk\"   class=\"size-full wp-image-23182\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"figure-caption\"> Liberty Wildlife employees examine a hawk in an operating room at the refugee in south Phoenix on March 4, 2022.  Photo by Troy Hill \/ Cronkite News <\/figcaption>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/04\/13\/cronkite-news-study-highlights-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-eagles\/libertywildlife\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-23180\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1603\" data-attachment-id=\"23180\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/04\/13\/cronkite-news-study-highlights-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-eagles\/libertywildlife\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/LibertyWildlife-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1603\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;A sign at Liberty Wildlife shows the difference in wingspans of various types of Arizona birds on March 4, 2022. (Photo by Troy Hill\/Cronkite News)&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1646390153&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Liberty Wildlife\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Liberty Wildlife&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;A sign at Liberty Wildlife shows the difference in wingspans of various types of Arizona birds on March 4, 2022. (Photo by Troy Hill\/Cronkite News)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/LibertyWildlife-1024x641.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/LibertyWildlife-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Liberty Wildlife\"  class=\"size-full wp-image-23180\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"figure-caption\"> A sign at Liberty Wildlife shows the difference in wingspans of various types of Arizona birds on March 4, 2022.  Photo by Troy Hill \/ Cronkite News <\/figcaption>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/04\/13\/cronkite-news-study-highlights-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-eagles\/bulletsarizonagameandfish\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-23178\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1672\" data-attachment-id=\"23178\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/04\/13\/cronkite-news-study-highlights-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-eagles\/bulletsarizonagameandfish\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/BulletsArizonaGameandFish-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1672\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;A display made by the Arizona Game and Fish Department at its headquarters in Phoenix shows non-lead bullets, left, and the fragments of a lead bullet on March 16, 2022. (Photo by Troy Hill\/Cronkite News)&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1647451817&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Bullet Fragments\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Bullet Fragments&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;A display made by the Arizona Game and Fish Department at its headquarters in Phoenix shows non-lead bullets, left, and the fragments of a lead bullet on March 16, 2022. (Photo by Troy Hill\/Cronkite News)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/BulletsArizonaGameandFish-1024x669.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/BulletsArizonaGameandFish-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Bullet Fragments\"   class=\"size-full wp-image-23178\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"figure-caption\"> A display made by the Arizona Game and Fish Department at its headquarters in Phoenix shows non-lead bullets, left, and the fragments of a lead bullet on March 16, 2022.  Photo by Troy Hill \/ Cronkite News <\/figcaption>\r\n\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<STRONG>For more stories from Cronkite News, visit <A href=\"https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=client\">cronkitenews.azpbs.org<\/A>.<\/STRONG>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<HR><EM>Note: This story originally <a href=\"https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/2022\/04\/12\/new-study-shows-nearly-half-of-bald-eagles-affected-by-chronic-lead-poisoning\/\">appeared on Cronkite News<\/a>.  It  is published via a <A href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative  Commons license<\/A>. Cronkite News is produced by the <A href=\"https:\/\/cronkite.asu.edu\/\">Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication<\/A> at <A href=\"https:\/\/www.asu.edu\">Arizona State University<\/A>.<\/EM><HR>\r\n <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/BaldEagle-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"Bald Eagle\" width=\"0\" height=\"0\" class=\"invisible\" \/> ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A new study found that almost half of bald eagles and golden eagles across the United States suffered from chronic lead poisoning.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23187,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,13,1],"tags":[42,46,1323],"class_list":["post-23173","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-environment","category-law","category-national","tag-arizona","tag-cronkite-news","tag-eagles","no-wpautop"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13\/BaldEagle-scaled.jpeg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pcoJ7g-61L","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23173","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23173"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23173\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23173"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23173"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23173"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}