| Despite recent legislation banning the use of lead for hunting in California, lead poisoning from spent ammunition still threatens the full recovery of California Condors (Gymnogyps californianus). In 2012, we began a free non-lead ammunition program in central California to complement other local non-lead outreach programs provided by Pinnacles National Park and Institute for Wildlife Studies. We have given away more than 3,200 boxes of non-lead ammunition in drawings and giveaways in the last four years. Survey responses indicate that the program has helped improve opinions of non-lead ammunition quality and has made many hunters more willing to use non-lead ammunition. Because the availability of non-lead rimfire is particularly limited, condors are at risk of lead poisoning when scavenging non-game carcasses, such as ground squirrels, on private rural ranches. Satellite GPS tracking data help identify condor feeding areas, and we provide free rimfire periodically to key landowners in those areas, working with collaborators to help distribute products. Fewer condors have died of lead poisoning in central California during the last two years, indicating that this collaborative effort might be helping to reduce lead exposure for condors.
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