Page 17 - 2005 DT 12 Issues

In This Issue!

Featured Article
California Condor..................................1

Special
Quiz.......................................................6
Departments
News & Notes.......................................2
March 2005 Programs & Hikes.................................4
Desk Schedule.....................................6
Bulletin Board.......................................8

NOT A UFO . . . Recovery Team was established in
1975. They came up with a “Recov-

A CALIFORNIA CONDOR! ery Plan” that called for capture of the
few remaining birds, a breeding pro-
by Chuck Kleber gram in captivity and the eventual
return of the condor to the wild. There
hen AC9 soared into the years ago. The decline in numbers was no time to lose. The last free-
sky, there was unrestrained hasn’t been all man’s doing, though. flying condor was captured in April
W joy from all those who had Perhaps it was the loss of large, Ice Age 1987, joining 26 others. The Ventana
worked so hard on the project. Sounds mammals as a food source, but by the Wilderness Society, a non-profit group
like the test flight of a prototype air- time European explorers reached dedicated to the preservation of ani-
craft, doesn’t it? But AC9 was, in fact, North America, the condor was lim- mals and plants, was asked by the U.S.
“Igor” —a California condor being ited to the Pacific Coast areas. Fish and Wildlife Service to join the
released and re-introduced into the Picture the black condor, with its California Condor Recovery people.
wild. The date was May 1, 2002 and wingspan of nearly ten feet, soaring as Other groups helped, like the National
the location was California’s Sespe high as 15,000 feet on thermals, while Audubon Society. Between them,
Condor Sanctuary in a rugged part of searching per- efforts to foster condor
Ventura County. Just eight years be- haps over a breeding in captivity began
fore, the National Geographic hundred miles in to show great success. This
Society’s Birds of North America, a single day for a was done at two facilities,
noted that a “captive breeding program dead animal with the San Diego Wild Animal
may eventually return birds (Califor- its superb eye- Park and the Los Angeles
nia condors) to the wild.” How right sight. The menu Zoo. They were fed a var-
they were! is wide open; ied diet, and some days
Rescue efforts to save the Califor- deer, cattle, received nothing. Condor-
nia condor came just in time. This sheep—larger like puppets were used to
magnificent bird, a scavenger par ex- animals are pre- feed the chicks, and record-
cellence, was on the very brink of ferred—but the ings of condor sounds
extinction in 1983 with fewer than 30 condor will go played. All of this was to
of them still in the wild in Southern for creatures as duplicate wild conditions.
California. Destruction of habitat, small as rabbits and even fish. They By 1998 the population had reached
poaching and lead poisoning had may consume up to three pounds of 150 birds . . . and 35 of these were
brought North America’s largest bird meat in one feast and then go without flying in the wild. The first release
to this sad state from what was once a food for days. took place on January 14, 1992, when
thriving species, roaming from Brit- What a loss to lose this great two captive California condors were
ish Columbia to California . . . and creature. That was the foremost con- set free in the Sespe Condor Sanctu-
even to the East Coast thousands of sideration when the California Condor
Condor, continued on page 6