Lead fragments from ammunition contaminate carcasses and gut piles, poisoning scavenging birds including eagles, condors, and vultures. Switching to non-lead alternatives eliminates this welfare harm.
Lead poisoning from ammunition causes one of the most unnecessary and preventable wildlife welfare harms. Scavenging birds that eat gut piles or wounded game ingest tiny lead fragments that cause progressive neurological damage — ataxia, weakness, and eventually death. The suffering is prolonged and the cause entirely preventable. Non-lead copper ammunition is widely available and performs equivalently, making the switch to non-lead hunting ammunition one of the simplest high-impact wildlife welfare actions available to hunters.