Publications by authors named "R L Cromie"

Article Synopsis
  • Lead shotgun ammunition for wildfowl hunting has been restricted in England since 1999, but compliance with these regulations is low, as found in recent studies.
  • A study collected and analyzed 176 harvested mallards during the 2021/22 season, revealing that 69% of the birds were illegally shot with lead, particularly those associated with driven game shooters.
  • The findings indicate a mixed effectiveness of legislation and voluntary measures in reducing the use of lead shot, with regional variations showing some progress in certain areas but overall persistence of lead shot usage.
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This summer, seabirds in Europe, North America, and Africa suffered unprecedented high mortality as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) swept through their breeding colonies. Given that the potential for HPAI-which originated in farmed poultry-to affect wild birds has been known for more than a decade, how were these continents caught off guard? Nations must assume responsibility for protecting wildlife from anthropogenic diseases, particularly those originating from ever-increasing livestock populations.

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Ammunition and fishing weight usage is the greatest largely unregulated contributor of lead (Pb) deposition to the European environment. While the range of negative impacts of Pb exposure to humans and avian wildlife are relatively well documented, little is known about risks to wild mammals despite recent scientific interest and publications. A qualitative risk assessment of the potential Source-Pathway-Receptor linkages for European mammal exposure was conducted, based on literature reviews and existing evidence and discussions with experts from the fields of wild mammal feeding ecology, behaviour and health.

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Nature-based health interventions (NBIs) for the treatment of poor mental health are becoming increasingly common, yet evidence to support their effectiveness is lacking. We conduct a pilot study of a six-week intervention, aiming to engage individuals with wetland nature for the treatment of anxiety and/or depression. We employed a mixed methods design, using questionnaires, focus groups and semi-structured interviews to evaluate the intervention from the perspective of participants (n = 16) and healthcare professionals (n = 2).

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