Concentrations of selenium, mercury, and lead in blood of emperor geese inwestern Alaska

We found up to 10 ppm wet weight of selenium in blood samples collected fro m emperor geese (Chen canagica) on their breeding grounds on the Yukon-Kusk okwim Delta in western Alaska, USA. Incubating adult females captured in la te May through mid-June 1997 had significantly higher concentrations of sel enium in their blood (mean = 5.60 ppm) than adult females captured during w ing molt in late July 1996 (mean = 2.78 ppm). Females that nested early or were in goad body condition had higher concentrations of selenium in their blood than did other nesting females. Blood samples from 4 of 29 goslings h ad detectable levels of selenium (mean = 0.14 ppm). Our findings suggest th at emperor geese are exposed to more selenium in the marine environment of their wintering and staging areas on the Alaska Peninsula than on the breed ing grounds. The highest concentration of mercury found in the blood of emp eror geese was 0.24 ppm. One bird had a blood lead concentration of 0.67 pp m, but 82% had no detectable lead in their blood, suggesting that lead expo sure from the ingestion of lead shot poses little threat for emperor geese in western Alaska, contrary to findings reported for sympatric spectacled e lders (Somateria fischeri).