| LEAD
POISONED TRUMPETER SWAN 
The Tribal Wildlife Management Program staff received an
injured Trumpeter Swan that came from east of Charlo last
week. The swan was a cygnet that hatched this year in the
Charlo area. The bird’s parents were likely swans released
as part of the Tribes’ Trumpeter Swan Reintroduction
Project.
Tribal Game Wardens were called about the Swan that had a
couple of small puncture wounds on its torso. A local
veterinarian x-rayed the bird and discovered several pieces of
shotgun shot in its gizzard.
The swan also exhibited some symptoms of lead poisoning. A
bird with lead poisoning can have physical and behavioral
changes, including loss of balance, gasping, tremors, and an
impaired ability to fly. The weakened bird is then more
vulnerable to predators, or it may have trouble feeding, mating,
nesting, and caring for its young. It becomes emaciated and
nearly always dies within two or three weeks after ingesting the
lead.
Lead is a toxic metal that, in sufficient quantities, has
adverse affects on the nervous system and reproductive systems
of mammals and birds. This metal, found in most fishing sinkers
and some shot is often involved in poisoning wildlife such as
trumpeter swans, loons, ducks, geese and eagles.
“Only federally approved non-toxic shot is legal to hunt
migratory waterfowl and upland game birds on the Flathead Indian
Reservation. This regulatory change has been in effect for
nearly twenty years.” said Dale Becker, Tribal Wildlife Program
Manager.
When lead sinkers are lost through broken line or carelessly
discarded into the water or when lead shot sinks into ponds,
waterfowl such as swans, loons, ducks and geese inadvertently
ingest them. Birds can then swallow lead when they scoop up
small pebbles from the bottom of wetlands. Others birds, such as
eagles, ingest lead by eating waterfowl or fish which have
swallowed lead sinkers or lead shot.
Wildlife Biologists say that lead poisoning does not have to
happen. Sinkers and shot don’t have to be made of lead.
Ecologically sound and inexpensive alternatives are locally
available.
Becker stated, “Waterfowl and pheasant hunters have switched
to non-toxic shot types to help wildlife managers address the
lead poisoning issue, but old lead shot is still present in the
subsurface soils of most wetland basins, and most fishing lures
and weights are still made of lead.”
For more information on how lead effects wildlife contact
Dale Becker or Germaine White at 883-2888. |
