Science news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Woman who flew with swans warns of lead danger
Conservationist Sacha Dench has welcomed legislation banning lead ammunition sales and use in England, Wales and Scotland, warning that lead poisoning is a serious and under-recognised threat to wildlife. She says the contamination could push some bird species towards extinction, and the campaign that helped secure the change has received the RSPB Medal.
The ban is due to take effect in April 2029. Dench estimates that lead poisoning kills up to 100,000 water birds in the UK each year, while shooting disperses 7,000 to 13,000 tonnes of lead into nature annually; birds may swallow pellets, mistaking them for food or grit. Deer manager Sharif Adams has already switched to non-lead ammunition, citing conservation benefits and game dealers’ growing preference for venison shot without lead.
In short
- Lead ammunition will be banned from sale and use in 2029.
- Up to 100,000 UK water birds may die from lead poisoning annually.
- Conservation groups’ campaign has received the RSPB Medal.
Explained simply
Lead ammunition has been used in shooting for generations, but spent pellets can remain in the environment and be swallowed by birds looking for food or small stones to help digest it. Lead is poisonous, and repeated exposure can harm wildlife.
Sacha Dench is a conservationist who campaigns on threats to birds, while Sharif Adams manages deer and has switched to ammunition made without lead. Their work sits within a wider debate about how shooting can continue while reducing harm to wildlife and the environment.
The issue matters because lead can enter food chains and affect birds and other animals beyond the place where it was fired. Conservation groups have argued that reducing this pollution could help protect species already under pressure.