Watchdog investigates 'increased' lead levels in ducks from Victorian wetlands

Wedge-tailed eagles and other protected species are at risk of being incapacitated by lead poisoning in Victoria, wildlife advocates say, with illegal lead ammunition still being used to shoot ducks.

Key points:

• High levels of lead have been found in some Victoria ducks in the last four years
• Lead ammunition for hunting ducks is banned in Victoria but is still used by some hunters
• Peak duck hunting agency says it has a “zero tolerance” policy on the use of lead bullets

The Freedom of Information document reveals humans are also at risk, with lead levels in ducks “well above” food safety standards in Victoria’s four duck hunting waterways.

Confidential email correspondence shows the state environmental watchdog has been aware of “elevated” lead levels in ducks from some wetlands used for hunting since 2018, but has not announced any danger or issued any warnings.

The CSIRO states that even small traces of lead are extremely harmful to humans and animals, as it is highly toxic.

An email titled “Lead in ducks—heads” from the EPA to Victoria’s Chief Environmental Scientist reports on test samples from 2018 that revealed high lead levels in ducks from Serpentines Creek in western Victoria, Richardson Lagoon in northern Victoria and Heart Morass and Macleod Morass in Gippsland. .

Emails show the ducks were retested in 2020 and found to contain high levels of lead that pose a potential risk to human health.

An email from the Environmental Protection Agency said the high lead levels in Victoria ducks could be harmful to humans.(ABC News: Danielle Bonica)

“New results come this Monday and confirm high lead levels in duck tissue. Again, well above FSANZ (New Zealand Australian Food Standards,” said the 2020 email.

The EPA was notified by the Chief Environmental Scientist that the results required further investigation to evaluate “potential risks to the environment and human health” and recommended that they be carried out before the start of the 2021 season.

The testing is still ongoing.

Lead ammunition is still in use despite two decades on the ban list

The use of lead bullets to hunt ducks is illegal in Victoria and since 2001 the Game Management Authority stated, “lead is a toxic substance that can harm humans, wildlife and the environment”.

Illegal lead munitions were used in Victoria as recently as last month – six hunters received penalties for having poisoned shots in Victorian wetlands during the 2022 season.

Regional Victorian Against Duck Shooting Project manager Sue Williams said four seasons of duck and quail recreation had been allowed to continue since lead levels in ducks were first identified.

“It’s unexpected that the government hasn’t issued a public warning about the levels of lead found in ducks across our state,” he said.

“The fact that ducks were found to have toxic lead levels in 20 per cent of the wetlands surveyed suggests that the danger is vast, given that duck shooting is allowed in thousands of public places.”

Lead ammunition is still used by Victorian duck hunters even though it is illegal.(ABC News: Jane Cowan)

The EPA said sampling and analysis on ducks in 2018 was conducted to assess the presence of PFAS in ducks in various Victoria waterways and additional sampling and analysis was conducted in 2020 for the presence of trace metals.

“The results were inconclusive – lead levels in liver samples were lower than breast samples, which was contrary to what was expected,” said Chief Environmental Scientist Mark Taylor.

“EPA will conduct further sampling and analysis to better understand if there is a risk to human health from lead in ducks.”

In June 2021, Victoria’s then Agriculture Minister Mary-Anne Thomas was asked in state parliament whether lead levels above food safety guidelines had been found in ducks in the Heart Morass and Macleod Morass wetlands.

In a written response in August 2021, the Minister stated his department was not aware of any “public” scientific studies available to determine lead levels in ducks in wetlands, although the EPA had test results completed in 2018.

The Victorian government approved a three-month full duck hunting season in March this year but has come under pressure from across political dissent to follow WA, NSW and QLD and ban the sport altogether.

“There is no reason for duck hunters to continue using lead poison and hunters caught doing so will be fined, their equipment confiscated, their licenses may be canceled and face prosecution,” a government spokesman said.

Lead poisoning can cause ‘very slow death’ for birds

Lethal amounts of lead have been found in protected species in Victoria, according to Jordan Hampton of the University of Melbourne School of Veterinary Medicine and Agricultural Sciences.

“Of concern, the bird of prey with the highest levels of lead exposure detected in Australia, is the wedge-tailed eagle from Victoria,” he said.

“If the shot animal is left where it is, the lead shards pose a threat to scavenging wildlife.

“Lead is not lost, lead munitions fired today will be in our environment for decades to come.”

Wildlife Victoria CEO Lisa Palma said lead poisoning was a dangerous way for ducks, geese and wedge-tailed eagles to die.

“They suffer a very slow death, either if they are injured or if they eat a carcass with lead in it,” he said.

“They present with neurological symptoms and paralysis, lethargy, can’t eat and slowly starve to death.”

Duck hunting group says ‘zero tolerance’ for rule breaker

Victoria Duck Hunters Association secretary Kev Gommers said he was surprised to learn lead ammunition was still used by hunters, more than two decades after it was banned.

“We don’t condone this at all, I don’t know anyone stupid enough to stick with lead,” he said.

“We have zero tolerance for anyone breaking these rules in our organization, it goes against what we stand for.”

Ducks and other wildlife can become seriously ill if exposed to lead shards from ammunition.(ABC News: Danielle Bonica)

Dr Hampton, who is also a veterinarian, said more needed to be done to protect the environment, animals and people, with lead ammunition still legal for quail hunting, commercial harvesting and air-based shooting.

“There is a simple and immediate solution – we need to ban all lead ammunition – not just for ducks,” said Dr Hampton.

“It did no harm to the auto industry when unleaded fuel was introduced.”

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