Parting Shot?

MAKE LEAD HISTORY FOR WILDLIFE AND HUMAN HEALTH

In the build up to a forthcoming decision by the DEFRA Secretary of State on whether to accept the Health Safety Executives recommendations to ban the use of toxic lead ammunition, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) have today (11th February 2025) released a spoof video highlighting the dangers of poisonous lead shot to the environment, wildlife and human health.

The video, set in a fictional restaurant called the 'Duck and Cover', features Megan McCubbin ordering the toxic lead roast pheasant - using humour to educate the public about the harm caused by toxic lead ammunition and to encourage people to join in with the wider campaign to send a strong message to DEFRA Environment Secretary Steve Reed MP urging him to make lead history.

The film also follows a letter sent to the Secretary of State on 5th January 2025 from a consortium of wildlife charities (including WWT, RSPB, Wildlife and Countryside Link and others), as well as individuals and professionals, asking him to consider closely the impact on nature of both lead shot and high calibre lead bullet ammunition. "Up to 100,000 waterbirds are estimated to die painful, lingering deaths every year from accidentally ingesting lead shotgun pellets, due to their resemblance to seeds and grit." The letter also refers to The State of Nature report 2023 which highlighted the fact that the abundance of wintering waterbirds has fallen by a third over recent decades and lead poisoning from discarded shot being one of the key factors.

Calling on a ban on all lead ammunition they go on to say "Such a ban would help protect people as well as wildlife by removing a contaminant in the human food chain that has been shown to affect maternal health and the IQ of children - as well as heightening the risk of cardiovascular and kidney disease for consumers of game."

You can help by adding your name to this link which will be sent directly to the Secretary of State. And you can watch the spoof video below:-