EAT LEAD, CONDOR:

The State Assembly’s Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee
defeated a California Condor protection bill that would prohibit
hunters from using lead bullets to kill game whose carrion condors
feast on. Assemblymember Pedro Nava introduced the Lord and Lady
Ridley-Tree Bill – which would have provided complimentary,
lead-free ammunition to hunters – in honor of the Santa Barbarans
who donated the California Condor exhibit to the Santa Barbara Zoo.
Nava said such legislation is important to human, as well as bird,
health because it raises awareness about the need to eliminate lead
in the environment. Scientists hoping to protect the giant vulture
from extinction pleaded in favor of the bill at Tuesday’s committee
meeting, but representatives of the National Rifle Association
turned out to fiercely oppose it. The bill fell one vote shy of the
eight needed to pass it through the committee.