Two bald eagles treated at the World Bird Sanctuary are among the latest victims of lead poisoning in Missouri. Despite efforts to save their lives, both raptors were eventually euthanized after their organs began to shut down.
“These two had no other physical injuries other than the fact that they were emaciated [and] had high levels of lead,” said Kira Klebee, the sanctuary’s rehabilitation director.
Part of “nature’s cleanup crew,” bald eagles rely on scavenging for food. But carcasses left as roadkill or discarded by hunters often contain lead. A single bullet can contain hundreds of fragments of the metal spread over several feet…