Basal concentrations of lead in the blood of birds from the New World vulture (<em>Cathartidae</em>) family in captivity

Abstract

Lead is one of the most toxic heavy metals for living beings, which is a problem on a global scale. This metal is found naturally in the environment. It can remain for long periods in animal tissues, and produce physiological and behavioral alterations, even death. One of the most affected taxonomic groups are birds, especially those species that are at the top of the food chain, due to their susceptibility to the bioaccumulation of heavy metals. However, in South America, there is little information on lead exposure in birds from the New World vulture (<em>Cathartidae</em>) family. This research aimed to determine basal concentration levels of lead in birds from the <em>Cathartidae</em> family kept in captivity conditions in Colombia. To the effect, blood samples of nine king vultures (<em>Sarcoramphus papa</em>) and seven Andean condors (<em>Vultur gryphus</em>) were analyzed from three zoos using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results suggest that 15 out of 16 specimens contain blood lead concentrations. Zoo B had the highest average (2.65 ± 1.00 μg/dL), followed by Zoo C (1.87 ± 0.63 μg/dL), and zoo A (0.8 ± 0.89 μg/dL). The average for S. papa was 2.11 ± 0.42 μg/dL, while for <em>V. gryphus</em> it was 1.89 ± 1.52 μg/dL. It is concluded that although there is a significant difference (p = 0.01) among the sampled zoos, and lead concentrations were detected in 93.75% of the population, these are low compared to levels reported by other studies