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LBV Demands Lead Ammunition Ban in Bavaria After Rare Vulture’s Lead Poisoning

Conservationists point to findings that lead particles in carrion caused organ failure in the bird

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Overview

  • A pathological examination showed the Gänsegeier died of kidney, liver and lung failure triggered by lead fragments from hunting ammunition.
  • The 2.5-meter wingspan vulture first appeared in the Allgäu in early March and was found dead approximately two weeks later.
  • The LBV is urging municipalities and private hunters across Bavaria to switch to lead-free ammunition, citing bans in other German states.
  • Experts warn that lead-laced carrion endangers not only rare visitors like the Griffon vulture but also native scavengers such as the recently reintroduced bearded vulture.
  • A similar incident in 2022 claimed another Gänsegeier in the Starnberg district, highlighting the persistent threat of lead poisoning to protected vulture species.