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Hoynes K, Holland AE, Bryan AL, Kupferman CA, Beasley JC. Trace elements and heavy metals in black vultures (Coragyps atratus) and turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) in the southeastern United States. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2024; 31:9000-9010. [PMID: 38183546 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31722-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Many vulture species worldwide are declining at alarming rates due to a variety of anthropogenic causes, including exposure to pollutants and pharmaceuticals through consumption of contaminated carrion. However, little is known about the extent to which vultures are exposed to various contaminants as well as toxicity thresholds for trace elements and heavy metals. Our objective was to quantify levels of trace elements and heavy metals within black vulture (Coragyps atratus) and turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) tissues to determine the extent to which populations in the Southeastern United States are exposed to carrion that contains high levels of contaminants. We collected 34 black vulture liver samples and examined differences in trace element and heavy metal concentrations between sexes and age classes (adult and juvenile). Further, we collected 81 blood and 42 feather samples from additional black and turkey vultures and compared differences between species and age classes. We found similar element concentrations between juvenile and adult black vultures with the exception of Cu, where levels were higher in juveniles compared to adults. However, we did observe substantial differences in element concentrations between species for both blood and feather samples, with black vultures generally having higher concentrations of most elements. Our data revealed higher element levels in both species compared to toxicity thresholds found in other bird of prey species, such as blood and liver toxicity threshold suggestions for Pb poisoning in Falconiformes. Further, while average contaminant levels were generally low, extreme outliers were observed for some elements, including Pb, suggesting some individuals were exposed to high levels of potentially toxic elements. More research is needed to better understand contaminant exposure in black and turkey vultures across a broader geographic region, as well as elucidate toxicity thresholds and non-lethal impacts of contaminant exposure in these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaleigh Hoynes
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E. Green St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Amanda E Holland
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E. Green St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 2369 W. Orton Circle, Suite 50, West Valley City, UT, 84119, USA
| | - Albert L Bryan
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E, Aiken, SC, 29802, USA
| | - Caitlin A Kupferman
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E. Green St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E, Aiken, SC, 29802, USA.
| | - James C Beasley
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E. Green St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E, Aiken, SC, 29802, USA
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