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Last week the Center and a coalition of conservation, health and Native American organizations filed suit against the California Fish and Game Commission and Department of Fish and Game for continuing to allow hunting with toxic lead ammunition that is poisoning rare California Condors even though safe, reliable bullets and shot are readily available.

The Commission has failed to change hunting regulations to protect condors despite our petition for urgent action filed two years ago.  Since then, three condors in California have required invasive chelation therapy to "de-lead" their blood and save their lives after feeding on lead-tainted carcasses.  Last June four more condors at Pinnacles National Monument had significant levels of lead poisoning after feeding on lead-contaminated carcasses of ground squirrels.  Five new studies published this year provide overwhelming evidence that the lead poisoning found in condors comes from ammunition fragments in carcasses and gut piles left behind by hunters in condor range.

Lead poisoning is the leading cause of death for condors reintroduced to the wild, with at least 10-15 condor deaths in California and Arizona since 1992 known or suspected to be due to lead poisoning.  Experts have warned for years against the toxic lead ammunition that is poisoning rare California Condors. Lead poisoning from ammunition presents the single greatest obstacle to the recovery of the species.

The Commission will review the state game hunting regulations in February, and now is the time for the state of California to protect one of the world's most endangered species and an icon of California's natural heritage – the condor is even featured on our state quarter!  Please help us build the momentum of our Get The Lead Out campaign and send a strong message to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his Fish and Game Commission to end, finally, the use of toxic lead ammunition in the range of the critically endangered California Condor.