From the Endangered Species Coalition (https://www.endangered.org/):
Seeing of a family of swans floating peacefully on a pond in one of our country’s 567 wildlife refuges is a sure way to remind ourselves of the beauty and intrinsic value of nature. But those swans may be suffering from lead poisoning.
Tell the US Fish and Wildlife Service to do more to get lead out of our national wildlife refuges at https://mobilize4change.org/hkvugFG.
Swans like those pictured, and other iconic species, are increasingly at risk of lead poisoning due to ingestion of fishing weights or spent ammunition.
Our nation’s symbol–the bald eagle–is especially at risk. A recent study1 found that nearly half of the bald and golden eagles in the country are suffering from chronic lead poisoning. This is a human-caused threat that we can choose to fix.
The Administration is accepting comments now on a proposal to gradually phase out lead use on ten refuges by 2026. This is an important first step but it must be broadened and put on a fast track. This proposal includes fewer than two percent of our refuges. And it comes after the Administration chose to open up more refuges to hunting and fishing than any previous administration.2
This Administration desperately needs to elevate its attention to the consequences of its actions on wildlife and their habitats. A valuable and achievable initiative that is within their capacity is to expand this proposal to include the entire national wildlife refuge system as conservation groups have petitioned for. Please submit your comment supporting this action today.
Thank you for your commitment to wildlife and wild places.
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