Trib Talk: California condors, hunting and ..

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

California condors, natural scavengers, have long been subject to lead poisoning from bullet fragments left in the remains of animals killed by hunters. In 2012, 42 percent of condors living in northern Arizona and southern Utah showed extreme exposure to lead. However, the number has dipped significantly in the last year, with only 16 percent showing lead exposure, the lowest levels in a decade. Researchers are attributing the lower levels to the willingness of Utah big game hunters to use ammunition without lead or to clean up animal remains.

On Wednesday at 12:15 p.m., join Tribune outdoors editor Brett Prettyman, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources sensitive species biologist Keith Day and host Brennan Smith to discuss what the lower lead levels mean for condors as well as hunting in Utah. You can join the discussion by sending questions and comments to the hashtag #TribTalk on Twitter and Google+. You can also text comments to 801-609-8059.

bsmith@sltrib.com

Twitter: @brennanjsmith

Trib Talk: California condors, hunting and lead bullets