BY MARK CRUDGINTON
Lead shot is the only viable projectile that can be used to humanely kill birds and animals in the UK. Other metals such as “steel “, copper, bismuth, zinc, tin etc can be used but not one of them can hold a candle to the efficiency and lethality of the lead projectile. However, lead is a divisive subject, mainly due to the enormous pollution apparently caused by all of us driving motor vehicles powered by petrol with tetraethyl lead as an anti-knock additive as well as the very many ions of lead added to paints etc over hundreds of years. These ions/compounds are recognised as highly poisonous
Recently a small, niche magazine with a metropolitan leaning called “The Week” published an editorial comment titled “Avoid pheasants shot with lead”. In the article the author quoted Professor Rhys Green of Cambridge University giving the impression that Professor Green’s “research” and dire warning at the conclusion of the piece that “the government follow through on proposals made last year to ban lead ammunition outright”.
Well, I was perplexed.
Why does a “City” based political magazine choose to make such an editorial comment? “The Week” states its reason for existence as:
“The Week is for readers who want to know what’s going on in the world, without having to read several daily newspapers – let alone and the endless cycle of rolling TV news and digital media.”
Should a Cambridge Professor be listened to let alone be given any credence, especially when he states that of 8 pheasant carcasses examined they found small pieces of lead in the flesh despite not making it clear if there was any evidence this would be harmful to those who ate such pheasants? Professor Green is a zoologist not a toxicologist – he has been attempting with his colleagues Debbie Pain, Ruth Cromie and Julia Newth to get lead in ammunition banned for the best part of 20 years and they have been dogged to the point of tunnel vision in their quest.
Over the last few years, I have contacted and asked most of the aforementioned for the actual scientific evidence they possess which persuades them to pursue their course with such vigour. Rhys Green kindly sent me papers he was party to, however when I questioned the evidential worth of these papers and asked for real evidence he replied saying,
“This correspondence is now closed.”
Dr Debbie Pain refused to engage. To date not one of them have been able to provide any hard scientific proof such as Lead isotope marker data, that was until this year when Dr Julia Newth replied to a request with this startling revelation:
“We and many other scientists believe that it is reasonable to suggest that lead shot is the most likely source of poisoning when poisoned birds have lead shot (usually multiple in our experience) in their digestive tracts, particularly when there is no other obvious source of lead exposure to birds in the environment that they occupy.”
Does this mean that all the talk from such educated biologists and zoologists is actually based on suggestion and assumption???
I asked Dr Newth why the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, for whom she works, had not used Lead isotope marker testing to exactly determine the source of lead in wildfowl they found suffering from lead poisoning, considering there are very many sources of lead in the UK environment. Her reply indicated that the tests were too expensive for the WWT to use. I immediately offered to raise money to pay for such research; Dr Newth appeared to not even consult her colleagues or the management of the WWT, she just replied stating such testing would be a “waste of our charitable time”.
This statement astounded me, this scientist had admitted she and her colleagues could only guess at the cause of lead poisoning in wildfowl yet when someone offered to help further her research and help provide actual proof – Truth – she refused that help.
Could it be that the group of scientists who are using all their powers to get the use of lead ammunition banned have an ulterior motive? Debbie Pain and Ruth Cromie are stated to be “friends of Wild Justice, an organisation determined to end Field sports in the UK. I can find no statements from any of the protagonists that they support or have an interest in Field sports, so I suppose it is reasonable to suggest therefore that the four of them are actually engaged in a politically motivated “hatchet “job on Field sports and shooting in general. If they were truly independent scientists they would seek to use all the evidence at their disposal.
The WWT is a charity and there are rules about using the assets of that charity for political purposes. It is reasonable to suggest that the Charity Commission and lawyers from field sports look into the work done by WWT scientists to attempt to ban lead in ammunition; at whether they have fulfilled the criteria of those working or acting for a charity.
It also seems to me imperative that Professor Green (affiliate to RSPB, whose vice chairman is Chris Packham, founding member of Wild Justice), Dr Debbie Pain (WWT), Ruth Cromie (WWT) and Dr Julia Newth (WWT) come clean and actually admit the reasons for doggedly pursuing a ban on lead in ammunition.
What actual evidence do they have to show spent lead ammunition is a proven threat to Wildfowl or, in Professor Green’s case, to humans as well?
Science is evidence-led and if these four anti-musketeers have no substantial evidence and are merely using a reasonable suggestion for the most likely cause of lead poisoning they are grossly letting down the very birds they are trying to protect, namely wildfowl as there could be other more serious sources of harm that the 4 scientists are choosing to ignore in their myopic determination to create circumstances where Fieldsports and especially shooting cannot be conducted within an ethical framework. Those same Fieldsports – the proponents of which founded the RSPCA, RSPB, and WWT – have conserved the majority of wild and rural spaces in the UK both for the successors of those same Fieldsports enthusiasts but also for the public to enjoy these beautiful “Jewels” of our country.
I sent the following challenge to Professor Green and “The Week” (to date, no response from either):
I challenge Professor Green to provide scientific proof, published in your “magazine ” to answer the following questions:
Has it been proven that anybody in UK has ever been diagnosed of lead poisoning as a result of eating game shot with lead, in say the last 100 years ?
How many people in the UK are diagnosed with lead poisoning every year in the UK over say the last 50 years?
Are there any other sources of lead in any foods available to the UK public or is it only available through game shot with Lead?
What lead isotope marker data studies has Prof Green instigated to prove the specific source of lead in any human or animal/bird in the UK?
Is it safe to eat any meat or vegetables containing minute pieces of any metals?
I do not expect to hear answers. Ideologues do not care for facts or truth. Their bedfellows at Wild Justice are campaigners not scientists. Lightweights in their field.
That these scientists ally for ideological reasons with campaigners should make you angry but do not waste your anger.
Instead put some money towards the 3 brave souls from this magazine fighting Chris Packham in the High Court https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/the-packham-3-defamation-defen/
Mark Crudgington is a 2nd generation gunmaker, at large in Wiltshire. His company George Gibbs Ltd is nearing its 200th birthday. A passionate shot, angler, deer stalker and natural sceptic.