Poisonous lead bullets are still found in more than 99 percent of pheasants burned for food, despite a promise last year that hunters would start using safer alternatives.
Experts from England and Scotland released wild common pheasants that were sacked in the recent October-February firing season, finding a bullet in 180 of the 276 surveyed.
Of these, a lead-based bullet was extracted from 179 birds, all of which were for the table and were obtained either from dealers or directly from shoes.
A five-year voluntary transition from the use of toxic lead to other metals that were safer in a shot was agreed with nine different firing groups back in February last year.
The findings, however, show that the agreement has had little impact on the agreement so far.
Poisonous lead bullets are still found in more than 99 percent of pheasants burned for food – despite a promise last year for hunters to start switching to safer options. Pictured, hunter
Experts from England and Scotland released wild common pheasants that were bagged in the recent October-February firing season, finding a bullet in 180 of the 276 surveyed. Of these, 179 birds, pictured) were fired for bullets, all of which were for the table and were sourced either from retailers or directly from shoes.
In their study, conservation biologist and ecotoxicologist Debbie Pain from Cambridge University and colleagues contracted the pandemic coronavirus infection spread the birds they found in their own kitchens, rather than at work -lann.
‘We took out the bullet and sent it away for inspection and 99% of the incinerator we fired was lead,’ Dr Pain told BBC News.
‘So in reality that has not diminished at all since the hunting groups imposed the voluntary ban.’
Even at very low densities, lead is toxic.
‘It has been banned from an ever-expanding list of products, including plumbing, paint on things like children’s toys and petrol additives,’ said Rhys Green, a bird conservation expert from Cambridge University. , to BBC News.
‘The maximum amount of lead allowed in many foods is also restricted by EU directives, which still apply in the UK. ‘
‘But game meat products are not included in that list of foods, for reasons that are not clear. Currently, the amount of lead in game meat sold for human consumption is not regulated by law. ‘
The problem is also not limited to the lead that ends up inside game birds being killed and returned for sale and consumption.
‘A lot of lead guns fall into the environment and can then be eaten by wild and terrestrial birds and cause poisoning,’ Dr Pain told the BBC.
These concerns led the European Union to recently impose a ban on the use of lead-based bullets over wetlands.
However, the timing of the legislation, which came into effect after the end of the Brexit transition period, means that such does not apply in the UK.
A five-year voluntary transition from the use of toxic lead to other metals that were safer in a shot was agreed with nine different firing groups back in February last year. The findings, however, show that, so far, the agreement has had little global impact.
‘Lead bullet is the traditional weapon for quarry live firing – it’s been for generations,’ British Association for Hunting and Conservation (BASC) director Steve Bloomfield told the BBC.
The group was previously opposed to changes in the rules regarding the use of lead-based weapons, but has recently stated that it supports the voluntary transition away from the toxic metal.
However, ‘change is difficult’, Mr Bloomfield said, suggesting that BASC members’ must take time to try the alternatives – and those alternatives must be effective and humane. ‘
In Denmark, the use of lead bullets for hunting was banned altogether in 1996 – meaning there are alternatives that have already been tested on the continent. These include bullets made of bismuth, steel and tungsten. Pictured: Pheasant
In Denmark, the use of lead bullets for hunting was banned altogether in 1996 – meaning there are alternatives that have already been tested on the continent.
These include bullets made of bismuth, steel and tungsten.
The researchers hope their findings will encourage game hunters to move away from using lead-based bullets.
![Even at very low densities, lead is toxic. ‘Maximum allowable lead density in many foods [has been] restricted by EU directive, which still applies in the UK, Rhys Green, a bird conservation expert from Cambridge University, told BBC News. 'But game meat products are not included in that list of foods, for reasons that are not clear. At present, the amount of lead in game meat sold for human consumption is not regulated by law '](https://i0.wp.com/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/02/24/14/39715412-9295133-image-a-87_1614176023969.jpg?resize=560%2C374&ssl=1)
Even at very low densities, lead is toxic. ‘Maximum allowable lead density in many foods [has been] restricted by EU directive, which still applies in the UK, Rhys Green, a bird conservation expert from Cambridge University, told BBC News. ‘But game meat products are not included in that list of foods, for reasons that are not clear. At present, the amount of lead in game meat sold for human consumption is not regulated by law ‘
‘I hope that, within a few years, shotguns are no longer used for shooting games in the UK,’ Dr Green told BBC News.
‘I am open-minded as to whether this can be achieved through voluntary change or whether a government ban is needed, but the evidence so far shows that the voluntary approach needs to step up its effectiveness significantly. if he is to believe. ‘
The full findings of the study have been published in the journal Conservation Evidence.