Jc. Franson et al., LEAD-POISONING OF SPECTACLED EIDERS (SOMATERIA-FISCHERI) AND OF A COMMON EIDER (SOMATERIA-MOLLISSIMA) IN ALASKA, Journal of wildlife diseases, 31(2), 1995, pp. 268-271
Lead poisoning was diagnosed in four spectacled elders (Somateria fisc
heri) and one common elder (Somateria mollissima) found dead or moribu
nd at the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska (USA) in 1992,
1993, and 1994. Ingested lead shot was found in the lower esophagus of
one spectacled elder and in the gizzard of the common elder. Lead con
centrations in the livers of the spectacled elders were 26 to 38 ppm w
et weight, and 52 ppm wet weight in the liver of the common elder. A b
lood sample collected from one of the spectacled eiders before it was
euthanized had a lead concentration of 8.5 ppm wet weight. This is the
first known report of lead poisoning in the spectacled elder, recentl
y listed as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
.