Incidence of Artifact Ingestion in Mute Swans and Tundra Swans on the Lower Great Lakes, Canada

[摘要] Althoughleadpoisoningiscommoninswans,noinformationexistsontheprevalenceofleadartifactingestioninswansusingthelowerGreatlakes(LGL).Weexaminedartifactingestion(leadandnon-toxic)inMuteSwansCygnusolorandTundraSwansCygnuscolumbianuscollectedontheLGLinOntario(1999–2003)followingthe1999banonuseofleadshotforwaterfowlhuntinginCanada.AlargerproportionofMuteSwans(19.8%of243birds)containedartifactsthandidTundraSwans(6.5%of77birds),possiblyduetothefactthatMuteSwansfeedexclusivelyinaquatichabitats.Overall,14%ofMuteSwanscontainednontoxicshot,6%containedleadshotand1.6%containedfishingtackle;4%ofTundraSwanscontainednon-toxicshotand2.6%containedleadshot.AdultMuteSwans(22.7%)hadahigherincidenceofartifactingestionthandidcygnets(8.9%),buttherewerenoage-relateddifferencesinTundraSwans.Nosex-relateddifferencesinartifactingestionweredetectedineitherspecies.GiventheoverallfrequencyofshotingestioninMuteSwans(20%ofbirds),leadtoxicosisprobablywasasignificantmortalityfactorforthisspeciesontheLGLbeforetheleadshotban.Asonly1.6%ofMuteSwansandnoTundraSwanscontainedanyformoffishingtackle,anglingrelatedinjuriesandmortalitiesarelikelylowerintheLGLthanhasbeenreportedforswansinEurope.Presently,leadtoxicosisislikelyhavingalowtomoderateeffectonMuteSwansandaminimaleffectonTundraSwansontheLGL.

[学科分类] 动物科学

[关键词] Great Lakes