Lead shot from shotgun cartridges and lead fishing weights poison waterbirds through ingestion, causing a slow and painful death in tens of thousands of swans, ducks and geese annually.
Lead poisoning in waterfowl causes progressive neurological deterioration: affected birds lose the ability to hold their necks up, cannot feed normally and become hypothermic. Death takes days to weeks. The suffering is prolonged and entirely preventable through transition to non-toxic alternatives. Affected swans are frequently seen by the public in distress but are difficult to capture for treatment.