Children’s jewelry must have less than 1.5 percent lead, because kids under age 6 are more susceptible to lead poisoning. The new law is an expansion of another law that went into effect Sept. The state is going after jewelry manufacturers, distributors and retailers. “They’re going to be a little nervous.”Īt Zebra, state employees showed off one of four new $40,000 X-ray machines that can detect lead in jewelry, and staff at the shop gave a piercing demonstration. “Once this story breaks, I’m sure some of the piercing studios are going to reconsider the good deals they have gotten on jewelry from overseas,” Naslund said. Kerrie Naslund, 34, a senior piercer at Zebra for 16 years, said she is confident her shop is lead-free because it gets most of its jewelry from American manufacturers who provide certificates showing the metals in piercing jewelry they buy.Ĭalifornia piercing shops that buy from overseas, where there is little or no lead regulation, might be in trouble, though.

Those who violate the new law face fines of up to $2,500 a day for each piece of jewelry in their possession. To get the point across, officials of the department were in Berkeley on Thursday at Zebra Tattoo and Body Piercing Shop to spread the word that jewelry must have less than 10 percent lead as of March 1 and less than 6 percent by Aug. “Body piercings may be particularly vulnerable to poisoning since lead can enter the bloodstream through the pierced areas,” said Maureen Gorsen, director of California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control in a written statement.

That’s the message from the California Department of Toxic Substance Control, which is enforcing a new state law that regulates lead in jewelry, especially piercing jewelry. In rare cases, seizures, organ failure and even death can occur. Two rarer species are in danger, however- the Grevy's Zebra (endangered) and the Mountain Zebra (threatened).BERKELEY - Hipsters beware: That navel piercing or nose ring may be hazardous to your health. They can eat coarse grass and are resistant to diseases that affect cattle, so as long as the African plains exist, so will these zebra. Grant's zebras are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Under ideal conditions, a female may produce a foal every year. Male-male competition is not significant, once males obtain a female, there seems to be a 'gentleman's agreement' between the stallion that this female has been taken and cannot be lured away. Zebras are polygynous one male stallion leads and mates with a harem of females. Males have displays, including a sort of barking whinny, which seem to minimize aggression at such times. Zebras are gregarious under conditions of abundant food or around water holes. The stallion is the rear guard when the family flees from a predator. Families maintain close bonds even during extended migrations with thousands of other zebra and wildebeest. Members recognize each other by sight primarily, but also by voice and smell. During travel, group is led by the dominant female and her foal, followed by other females in their order of dominance. (Sometimes two stallions are part of the group, but one will be dominant.) Mares stay with the group offspring leave. Grant's zebras live in stable family groups of up to 17 animals headed by a single stallion. This, along with their selection of grass stems, increases the quantity and quality of vegetation. This opens up grazing opportunities for wildebeests, gazelles and topis which are more picky about the vegetation they consume.Zebra herds leave the grazing area during the dry season and in doing so trample the land and stimulate grass growth. They are the first to move in during grass succession, chomping down on old growth and stems which keeps vegetation young and growing. Zebras play an important role in the stability and dynamics of grazing communities where they live. Also occasionally browse on herbs, leaves and twigs. Inhabits grasslands, especially those with scattered trees. Ecology Habitatįrom northern Zimbabwe to the Sudan in East Africa. Species SpecificsĬapable of running 40mph!- Zebras use hooves and teeth in defense!- There is much discussion about the adaptive value of stripes, but none of the theories has consensus. Black base color with contrasting white stripes continuing all the way down to its hooves, with a short, upright mane.

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