Elevated levels of toxic lead have been detected in the sediment and soil of two of the Republic’s most vital Natura 2000 wetlands, according to a new study by BirdLife Cyprus.
The research, conducted under the EU-funded LIFE IP Physis project, identified significant pollution at the Larnaca Salt Lakes and Paralimni Lake, primarily linked to historical and ongoing shooting and hunting activities.
Lead is a highly toxic heavy metal with no safe exposure level, and its persistence in these ecosystems poses a severe threat to both biodiversity and public health. In Larnaca, researchers found that the highest lead concentrations are concentrated near a former shooting range.
Although the facility is no longer in operation, the data shows that lead levels remain high in the immediate vicinity and decrease as the distance from the site increases, confirming it as the primary source of contamination.
The study also highlighted risks at Latsi Lake in Meneou, a part of the Salt Lake complex where hunting is permitted; sediment samples there confirmed the presence of lead pellets from shotgun cartridges.
The impact on local wildlife is documented, with Game and Fauna Service data revealing that 169 flamingos have been diagnosed with lead poisoning in the Larnaca Salt Lakes since 2000.Similar findings were reported at Paralimni Lake, where lead accumulation is attributed to shooting range activities and seasonal hunting within protected zones.
In 2012, the European Court of Justice condemned Cyprus for failing to protect Paralimni Lake and for tolerating activities, including the operation of a shooting range, that endangered the local ecology and the endemic Grass Snake.
Despite a 2023 law prohibiting the use of lead shot near wetlands, BirdLife Cyprus noted that the legislation is not being effectively enforced.
The environmental group is calling for immediate wetland restoration to mitigate the risk of lead ingestion by migratory birds, which visit the island in the thousands each year.
BirdLife Cyprus also urged the government to support a European Commission proposal for a total EU-wide ban on lead in hunting ammunition and fishing weights, citing the availability of non-toxic alternatives.
Without urgent intervention to remove existing deposits and enforce current bans, the group warned that these protected habitats will continue to function as toxic traps for the region’s avian population.