Scavenger Hunt

Gr 9 Up—This film presents the argument, which has become politicized, surrounding the use of lead vs. non-lead ammunition and the decline of California condors. At one time, its population was down to just 22 birds. Captive breeding programs have gotten the number of condors up to more than 400, and captive-bred and -reared birds have been released into the wild where they have bred with some success. That achievement is threatened, though, by the fact that these birds are being sickened and dying from ingesting lead ammunition fragments in the carcasses they scavenge. While it would seem to be an easy fix for hunters to just switch to non-lead ammunition, manufacturers and the National Rifle Association fight the idea, framing it as a Second Amendment issue and claiming science hasn't proved a link between lead and condor deaths. Beautiful footage of soaring condors opens the film, and the spectacular scenery of the birds' canyon habitat makes the piece visually pleasing. The science presented by the biologists involved in the conservation effort is solid. They promote not only banning lead ammunition but also providing outreach and education to hunters, incentive programs to get them to go lead-free, and giving hunters who support and participate in these efforts credit for being part of the solution to the problem. One scene of deer hunting and field dressing may be uncomfortable for some viewers. Sure to spark discussion in biology or environmental science classrooms.—Cynthia Ortiz, Hackensack High School, NJ