{"id":31544,"date":"2020-07-30T16:19:19","date_gmt":"2020-07-30T14:19:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tourduvalat.org\/?p=31544"},"modified":"2020-09-28T15:31:13","modified_gmt":"2020-09-28T13:31:13","slug":"new-article-the-difficulties-of-enforcing-the-ban-on-lead-shot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tourduvalat.org\/en\/publications-en\/new-article-the-difficulties-of-enforcing-the-ban-on-lead-shot\/","title":{"rendered":"The difficulties of enforcing the ban on lead shot in the Camargue"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the last issue of Espaces naturels<\/a> (n\u00b071, July-September 2020), an article co-written by Anthony Olivier,\u00a0a ranger at the Tour du Valat National Nature Reserve, Jean-Yves Mondain-Monval, and Olivier Cardoso, was published on the difficulties of enforcing the ban on lead shot among wetland hunters.<\/h4>\n

Yet lead is a very toxic metal whose harmful effects on animals have been clearly demonstrated.<\/h4>\n
\"\"
Illustration of lead shot deposition at the bottom of marshes and accessible to anatidae \u00a9 L. Burkart<\/span> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

The shells found after the hunting season along the Tour du Valat Nature Reserve in the Camargue show that 55% of the ammunition used is still lead-based, 15 years after such shot was prohibited (cf. chart below).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Evolution of the percentage of lead pellet shells and alternative ammunition, from 2008 to 2020 on communal land along the Tour du Valat Nature Reserve in the Camargue.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"
Common Teal \u00a9 Tour du Valat<\/span> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The authors explain that hunters\u2019 resistance to change stems in particular from their fear that alternative shot will be less effective (and cripple more birds), by the higher cost of alternative ammunition, and by the skepticism of some hunters who are poorly informed about the realities of lead poisoning.<\/p>\n

To bring about a change in behavior, the authors make the following suggestions:<\/p>\n