BirdLife Botswana, in partnership with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, recently convened a stakeholder workshop in Maun on mitigating lead (Pb) poisoning for vulture conservation.
This comes as lead poisoning remains a serious and preventable threat to vultures, other birds of prey, wildlife, and human health. Lead poisoning in vultures occurs when these scavenging birds ingest fragments of lead-based ammunition left in animal carcasses.
Through the workshop, BirdLife Botswana raised awareness among lead ammunition users and other stakeholders about the severe effects of lead on vultures, which are globally threatened and may face extinction without urgent action.
The workshop brought together relevant stakeholders to share knowledge, discuss the impact of lead ammunition on vultures and the broader environment, and identify practical measures to reduce lead poisoning.
Speaking during the workshop, BirdLife Botswana Conservation Officer, Tawana Lebakanyane, called for the use of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and best practices to help reduce lead exposure for wildlife, humans, and the environment.
According to him, key Standard Operating Procedures and best practices include proper carcass disposal to prevent vultures and scavengers from accessing lead-contaminated remains, as well as the safe handling, storage, and disposal of lead-contaminated products and materials.
He also called for environmental contamination control measures to reduce the pollution of soils and water sources, monitoring and reporting systems for suspected poisoning incidents, and the creation of awareness and training programmes for hunters, communities, land managers, and stakeholders.
Lebakanyane noted that the use of lead-based ammunition, combined with poor carcass disposal practices, continues to create harmful exposure pathways in the environment. He said that reducing this threat requires a coordinated response from all stakeholders through awareness, research, policy support, and practical action.
Lebakanyane stated that the adoption of lead-free ammunition, improved carcass management, and clear Standard Operating Procedures and guidelines are key mitigation measures.
“Through collective commitment and behaviour change, we can reduce lead exposure, protect vultures, and safeguard ecosystems for future generations,” he said.
While highlighting the impacts of lead on vultures, Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) Senior Wildlife Officer, Monei Onalethata, said that lead severely damages the central nervous system, causing paralysis, loss of coordination, and brain damage.
He explained that lead also impairs circulatory and bone metabolism, severely weakening the bird’s flight muscles, which often leads to fatal collisions with power lines or trees.
“Elevated lead levels compromise the immune system, making vultures and other wildlife highly susceptible to infectious diseases and parasite infestations. Lead toxicity disrupts egg development and lowers hatching success, threatening already endangered populations,” he said.
Onalethata noted that addressing lead poisoning in vultures and other wildlife requires concerted action from all stakeholders, including governments, conservation organizations, veterinarians, researchers, hunters, and local communities.
He highlighted that lead contamination, often originating from ammunition and poisoned carcasses, poses a serious threat to vulture populations and the vital ecological role they play as nature’s scavengers. Onalethata called for stronger policies regulating the use of toxic substances, increased public awareness, the promotion of safer alternatives, and coordinated monitoring efforts to reduce exposure and safeguard these endangered birds.
“Through collaboration and shared responsibility, stakeholders can help ensure the survival of vultures and the health of ecosystems they support,” he said.
