Scientific Journal of the BirdLife Hungary

A Magyar Madártani és Természetvédelmi Egyesület tudományos folyóirata

Ornis Hungarica. vol.29(1). (2021) p.179-185.

Long-term lead into­xi­cation of Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus Hablizl, 1783) supposedly the result of illegal shooting
Anton Stamenov, Ivanka Lazarova, Volen Arkumarev, Stefka Dimitrova, Nikolay Terziev, Atanas Delchev & Dobromir Dobrev

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Abstract:

The European Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus is a large-sized scavenger exploiting carcasses of livestock and wild ungulates and thus having a paramount importance in the natural ecosystems. In this study, we report on an adult Griffon Vulture detected with lead levels in the bones over the threshold. After two years of tracking, the bird died. The corpse’s clinical examination and radiography detected the presence of two embedded lead pellets from a healed gunshot wound in its right wing. Quantitative laboratory analysis of lead in bone and liver samples evidencing subclinical/chronic lead intoxication of the Griffon Vulture could potentially be a result of the long-term exposure to the lead originating from the pellets in its wing.