Biologists Confirm Condor Chick Hatched In Arizona National Monument (#4!)

[hatrack]

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Biologists confirmed that a California condor chick has hatched in Arizona, the fourth to hatch in the wild in the state since the endangered birds were reintroduced here nearly 10 years ago, officials said Thursday.

The chick that hatched at the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, near the Arizona-Utah state line, may be one of two to arrive this season. Biologists believe a second chick also hatched recently in a remote part of Grand Canyon National Park.

Eddie Feltes, a field biologist with The Peregrine Fund, said he saw the chick with its mother through a scope. "The female condor was looking down toward her feet at a commotion of feathers and debris," he said in release. "Soon after, a chick stood out, contrasted against its mother's dark plumage."

EDIT

The birds' population was down to 22 in the 1980s before efforts began to capture them and breed them in captivity. The first California condors were reintroduced in Arizona in 1996. There are now 54 condors in the wild in Arizona and 274 in all, including captive and free-flying birds in California, Oregon, Idaho and Mexico."

EDIT

http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=8185

[kliljedahl]

1. Great news

Thanks for the update. & the Ivory Bill was found too. Now if we can just keep Bushco from drilling & logging them back to extinction.


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[NNadir]

2. One issue is the lack of genetic diversity from near extinction events.

I believe this issue is having an effect on the Cheetah, which apparently faced one near extinction before the current one.

I understand that the California Condor once had a range that extended through the entire West. One hopes this bird will survive. I remember when all of the wild population was removed for captive breeding. It was very scary. Necessary maybe, but scary.

[ET Awful]

3. Wooohooo, now if only they could find a way to make condors

better looking :)



I mean . . . that is one UGLY bird :)

[jeffreyi]

4. Hey, he thinks you are a little on the homely side too!

This is neat. Sort of happy face news for a change.

[hunter]

5. Condors are social animals like coyotes or turkey vultures.

These "wild" condor hatchings are very good news, but the sad thing is that much of the California Condor "culture" and "knowledge-base" was lost before humans decided to protect them. The loss of cultural diversity within the species has been just as devestaing to the condor population as the loss of genetic diversity.

To a very significant extent baby condors learn to find food and stay out of trouble from their parents and other experienced adult condors.

Coyote and turkey vulture "cultures" were able to adapt to the challenges of present-day humans because their populations were still relatively high, and knowledge of how to deal with things like power lines, highways, dangerous sorts of garbage and litter, and the occasional ignoramus with a shotgun could be passed on to future generations.

Think about it this way -- how much of our own culture would survive if our population was reduced to 22 individuals? These individuals probably wouldn't survive, but even if they did, our existing human culture would die.

[blindpig]

6. Note to zoo haters:

If not for the outstanding work of the LA Zoo and other workers we'd probably be down to a handful by now and counting down to oblivion. Those big ugly suckers are not out of the woods yet, probably 250 pairs are needed to provide cushion and the lack of genetic diversity could be an issue but you work with what you got. Where to put those birds is also an issue, what with the evil bastards in charge working overtime to destroy all.