Happy Birthday Erin!Blood Lead AnalyzerSeth McEwan wanted to get his wife and former RMRP volunteer Erin something unusual for her birthday. He’d read about the unusually high number of lead toxicity cases at RMRP and the program’s need for a lead test kit, so in her name, he donated $2,000 for RMRP to purchase a blood lead analyzer.

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Seth knew the lead in raptors is a serious problem. In a 6-day period earlier this year, the Raptor Program admitted three Turkey Vultures that each tested positive for lead poisoning, a very difficult-to-treat wasting condition. Lead poisoning in vultures comes from ingesting prey animals that contain lead. "An animal shot with lead and left on the ground will almost certainly result in lead being consumed by raptors," said Mike Tincher, RMRP’s Medical Associate.

Fast diagnosis is critical to the successful treatment of each lead-toxic raptor. RMRP was sending dozens of blood samples out for testing each year, but now can perform the testing on site, and confirm the diagnosis within minutes

Seth learned of RMRP’s need for the lead tester in the Spring/Summer newsletter.

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