Investigating Lead Poisoning in a Captive Cheetah: What We Found and Why It Matters

Article Summary: Acute lead poisoning from bullet ingestion in a captive cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) in Namibia.

Research Authors: Catherine Hauw, Anne Schmidt-Küntzel, Ana Basto, John Yabe, Niall McCann, Maria Diez-Leon, Laurie Marker

In 2021, a three-year-old female cheetah named Adina died suddenly during the final stages of a pre-release rehabilitation program in Namibia. She had been housed in a 100-hectare enclosure at a private reserve, part of efforts led by the Cheetah Conservation Fund to prepare rescued cheetahs for return to the wild. Just 48 hours after initial signs of neurological distress, she was found deceased.

I went to CCF to study lead in cheetahs for my Master’s degree, and while there had the opportunity to write up Adina’s case with CCF’s Director for Animal Health and Research Dr. Anne Schmidt-Küntzel and CCF’s Veterinarian at the time Dr. Ana Basto who had followed the case. What we discovered in the investigation provides critical insight into an underreported but preventable risk in conservation: lead poisoning from ammunition in game meat.

Case Findings and Clinical Evidence

Adina exhibited signs consistent with acute neurological dysfunction, including ataxia, hypersensitivity to external stimuli, disorientation, arched posture, and salivation. A post-mortem examination revealed a chewed lead bullet in her stomach. Toxicological analysis showed extremely high concentrations of lead in her liver and kidneys—38.25 and 56.03 mg/kg dry weight, respectively. These values support a diagnosis of acute lead toxicosis.

Bone lead levels, measured at 1.44 mg/kg dry weight, suggested that Adina had also experienced prior, lower level, chronic exposure, probably through small lead particles scattered in the meat she had been fed during her time in captivity. Histopathological examination showed extensive tissue damage, including necrosis in the kidneys and liver. These findings indicate a two-part exposure profile: long-term low-level ingestion followed by a single, acute and fatal dose.

Why This Matters for Wildlife Health and Management

Adina was fed whole game carcasses, a common strategy to simulate natural conditions in pre-release settings. This approach helps build hunting and survival skills, but it also introduces risk when the meat comes from animals hunted with lead ammunition. Even a single embedded bullet can cause a fatal outcome.

Lead dissolves in the acidic environment of the stomach and is absorbed into the bloodstream, where it damages multiple organ systems. Chronic exposure through repeated ingestion of lead fragments can further increase risk, even if symptoms remain subclinical until a major exposure occurs.

Although this is only the second publication of lead poisoning in a cheetah, it likely reflects a broader issue. Lead exposure in carnivores remains understudied, and many cases may go undiagnosed due to limited testing.

Recommendations for the Field

We offer the following practical recommendations based on this case:
Use non-lead ammunition whenever possible. Copper and steel bullets are widely available and eliminate the risk of lead contamination at the source.

1. Apply stricter carcass preparation protocols. Remove the entire lead bullet from the carcass. If lead ammunition is used, remove the head if the bullet was aimed at the head; remove at least 40 centimeters of tissue around the wound channel if the bullet was located elsewhere, to account for fragment spread.
2. Incorporate lead monitoring into necropsy and health assessments. Bone lead concentration can serve as a marker for long-term exposure and should be considered in unexplained deaths.
3. Improve data sharing across conservation programs. More open reporting of cases like this will strengthen collective understanding and improve future protocols.

Join Us in Expanding This Work

This case study is part of a wider research initiative examining the effects of lead exposure in captive and free-ranging cheetahs. While at CCF I investigated lead levels in bones of deceased wild and captive cheetahs, which brought up some interesting findings, that we are in the process of publishing – stay tuned.

I am currently continuing my research on lead as part of my PhD and we are inviting institutions to participate in ongoing sampling efforts. If your organization manages cheetahs or other carnivores and would like to contribute tissue samples or collaborate on case documentation, I would welcome the opportunity to connect.

Please reach out to me at [email protected] if you would like more information or are interested in contributing to this ongoing research. Together with the CCF, I am working to help improve outcomes for carnivores in conservation care and reduce preventable risks from environmental contaminants.

This work is especially critical for cheetahs intended for release. Each individual returned to the wild represents a meaningful gain for the species and for long-term recovery efforts that CCF is actively leading across cheetah range countries. By remaining vigilant and strengthening collaboration across institutions and disciplines, we can give every animal the best possible chance at survival.