Larnaca, Cyprus. BirdLife on Tuesday warned that lead used in shotguns and fishing weights harms human health and biodiversity, and called for stronger action. The group cited research and data pointing to lead pollution and bird poisoning in protected wetlands.
Health and wildlife concerns
BirdLife said lead is “a highly toxic metal, with no safe level of exposure,” and that its use, especially in hunting, disperses thousands of tonnes into the environment each year.
The organisation warned that lead can enter the human food chain, with children and pregnant women at particular risk, as fragments may be found in game meat consumed by humans.
It added that more than a million birds die annually in Europe from lead poisoning.
Studies highlight contamination in protected wetlands
BirdLife’s call followed the publication of a study two weeks earlier that highlighted the presence of lead in Larnaca Salt Lake and Paralimni Lake, which are protected wetlands.
Data from the Game Fund indicated that 169 flamingos have suffered lead poisoning in the Larnaca Salt Lake complex since 2020.
Implementation of existing restrictions
BirdLife said that although a ban on the use of lead gunshot near wetlands has been in force since February 2023 under a European regulation adopted in 2021, implementation remains insufficient in Cyprus.
Identified sources and related findings
Sediment and soil sampling found high concentrations of lead at specific points around the lakes, with elevated levels at Larnaca Salt Lake linked to a former shooting range in the area.
The study said concentrations decrease further from the old range, indicating it as the main source of pollution.
The salt lake complex includes Latsi Lake in Meneou, also known as Soros Lake, where hunting is permitted, and a separate study there confirmed the presence of lead linked to pellets from hunting cartridges.
What steps do you think should be prioritised to reduce lead pollution in wetlands and the food chain?
