A lunchtime talk at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody will explore the harmful effects of wildlife ingesting lead ammunition from bullets, as well as lead exposure from fishing tackle.
Featured speaker Hannah Leonard is with Sporting Lead-Free, an educational initiative that aims to reduce the amount of lead in the ecosystem.
Leonard said Wyoming is prime habitat for bald eagles, a species that feeds on big game gut piles. She says a gut pile contains on average 160 lead fragments.
“All it takes is 20 milligrams of lead. So that's about the size of a grain of rice or the weight of a ladybug. That is enough lead to kill an adult bald or golden eagle,” she said.
A study published in PLOS One in 2012 found that of 71 eagles tested in the Jackson Hole area, close to a quarter had been exposed to lead during big game hunting season.
Leonard said Wyoming is one of the states where it’s legal to purchase ammunition online. The organization's website has a tool where hunters can order alternatives such as copper bullets.
The “Sporting Lead Free for Wildlife Conservation” talk is at noon on Oct. 10 at the Center of the West in Cody. There is also the option to attend virtually. The talk is part of the Draper Natural History Museum’s monthly lecture series.
