Lead contamination identified in Cypriot Natura 2000 wetlands

A new study by BirdLife Cyprus, conducted under the EU-funded LIFE IP Physis project, has detected elevated lead levels in the sediment and soil of the Larnaca Salt Lakes and Paralimni Lake. Researchers identified historical and ongoing shooting and hunting activities as the primary sources of this contamination. At the Larnaca Salt Lakes, high lead concentrations were linked to a former shooting range and the presence of lead shotgun pellets in the Latsi Lake area of Meneou. Data from the Game and Fauna Service indicates that 169 flamingos have suffered from lead poisoning at the Larnaca Salt Lakes since 2000. Similar environmental issues were confirmed at Paralimni Lake, attributed to both shooting range operations and seasonal hunting within protected zones. In 2012, the European Court of Justice condemned Cyprus for its failure to adequately protect the Paralimni Lake ecosystem. Lead is classified as a highly toxic heavy metal with no safe exposure level, posing ongoing risks to both local biodiversity and public health.