Carpenter James W, Pattee Oliver H, Fritts Steven H, Rattner Barnett A, Wiemeyer Stanley N, Royle J Andrew, Smith Milton R
USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, 11510 American Holly Drive, Laurel, Maryland 20708-4019, USA.
J Wildl Dis. 2003 Jan;39(1):96-104. doi: 10.7589/0090-3558-39.1.96.
Lead-induced mortality appears to have been a major factor in the decline of the California condor (Gymnogyps californianus). We orally dosed turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) with BB-sized lead shot from January 1988 through July 1988 to determine physiologic response (delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase inhibition, erythrocyte protoporphyrin levels, anemia), diagnostic tissue lead concentrations (blood, liver, and kidney), and comparative sensitivity of this species. Two turkey vultures died and two became so intoxicated they were euthanized. Overall, responses of measured parameters were comparable to other species exposed to lead although there was considerable individual variation. Survival time (143-211 days), even with the large numbers of shot and constant redosing, was much longer than reported for other species of birds, suggesting considerable tolerance by turkey vultures to the deleterious effects of lead ingestion. Based on these observations, turkey vultures appear to be poor models for assessing the risk of lead poisoning to California condors or predicting their physiologic response.
铅导致的死亡率似乎是加州兀鹫（Gymnogyps californianus）数量下降的一个主要因素。从1988年1月到1988年7月，我们给火鸡秃鹫（Cathartes aura）口服BB弹大小的铅弹，以确定其生理反应（δ-氨基乙酰丙酸脱水酶抑制、红细胞原卟啉水平、贫血）、诊断性组织铅浓度（血液、肝脏和肾脏）以及该物种的相对敏感性。两只火鸡秃鹫死亡，另外两只中毒严重，最终实施了安乐死。总体而言，尽管存在相当大的个体差异，但所测参数的反应与其他接触铅的物种相当。即使摄入大量铅弹并持续重新给药，火鸡秃鹫的存活时间（143 - 211天）仍比其他鸟类物种的报告时间长得多，这表明火鸡秃鹫对铅摄入的有害影响具有相当强的耐受性。基于这些观察结果，火鸡秃鹫似乎不是评估加州兀鹫铅中毒风险或预测其生理反应的理想模型。
