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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 ...

Penguins are no strangers to climate change. Their life history has been shaped by fluctuations in temperature, and their bodies are highly specialized for some of the most extreme conditions on Earth. However, scientists fear the penguin’s evolutionary path may have stalled, thanks to the lowest evolutionary rate ever detected in birds. An international team of researchers has just published one of the most comprehensive studies on penguin evolution to date, which is the first to integrate data from living and fossil penguin species. The research reveals a general chaotic penguin life history, with three-quarters of all known penguin species – now represented only by fossils – already extinct. “Over 60 million years, this iconic bird has evolved into a highly specialized marine predator, and is now well-adapted in some of the most extreme environments on Earth,” the authors wrote. “However, as their evolutionary history reveals, they now stand as guardians high...