Letter to the Editor - Can We Get the Lead Out?

When your school board votes, Decorah News is there to report. Chip in to keep your voice in the room. Dear Editor, Growing up in Eastern Iowa in the 1950s and 60s, I saw a lot of wildlife, but rarely a bald eagle. So it's been great to see these beautiful birds thriving in our area in recent years. But I recently read a bracing article about our bald eagles being poisoned by ingesting lead. Bald eagles scavenge animal carcasses, including the remains of deer or other game animals shot by hunters. If the eagles eat a pellet of lead shot, or even small fragments, they get sick from lead poisoning and often die. A February 27 article in the Des Moines Register ("3 Bald Eagles Suffering from Lead Poisoning Rescued") noted that on a single day last month three bald eagles were rescued by bird conservationists. "Rescued" might not be exactly the right word, because the article explained that eagles with lead poisoning usually don't survive, and in fact one of the three "rescued" eagles was dead within a day. Lead poisoning is reportedly the number one cause of morbidity/mortality among the hundreds of bald eagles admitted to wildlife rehabilitators in recent years. But authorities note that these deaths could be prevented by banning the use of lead shot. After all, non-toxic alternatives (such as steel shot) are readily available to hunters at comparable cost. And area hunters, with their love of the outdoors, would probably be as eager as anyone to support a healthy eagle population. While a statewide ban would make the most sense (and advocates have been working on that for years), bans can also be implemented locally. The Register article urged people to reach out to their local county conservation boards, as some counties in Iowa have restricted the use of lead shot. The Winneshiek County Conservation Board was recently asked to take up the issue, and hopefully we'll see some progress there. Steve St. Clair Decorah, Iowa Together, we build a stronger Decorah—contribute your voice by submitting a letter today!