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Through the efforts of many organizations and individuals, reintroduction of California condors began in 1992. The captive breeding programs were remarkably successful. In 1987, when the last wild bird was brought into captivity, there were only 27 condors left in the world. When fewer than 10 condors were left in the wild, the decision was made to bring them all in for captive breeding. Some birds were also taken to zoos for captive breeding. Knowing that female condors are more likely to lay a second or third egg if the first is removed, scientists began collecting eggs for captive incubation. In 1980, conservation groups launched an all-out effort to pull the California condor back from the brink of extinction. If that egg is removed, however, she will lay a second or a third. They don't breed until they are between six and eight years old, and the female lays only one egg every two years. Condors also contend with the spread of pesticides, which thins their already-fragile egg shells, as well as illegal egg collection.Ĭalifornia condors also mature and reproduce slowly. Lead poisoning was a major culprit: Condors were accidentally ingesting fragments of lead-based ammunition as they scavenged on carcasses of hunted animals. endangered species list since 1967 and were near extinction when their captive-breeding program began.
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Threats to survivalĬalifornia condors have been in decline about as long as European settlements began to spread across North America. When a big meal is available, the birds may gorge themselves so much that they must rest for several hours before flying again.Ĭondors may fly dozens of miles a day in search of food, but they spend most of their time preening, sunning, and grooming in their roost.
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Like other vultures, condors are scavengers that feast on the carcasses of large mammals, such as cattle and deer. There are also populations in Arizona, Utah, and Mexico. Condors can now primarily be found in central southern California deserts, where they roost on rocky cliffs. They now only live in a fraction of that range-perhaps because of the loss of the great prehistoric herds that formerly roamed the continent before Europeans arrived. Habitatįossil records show that the birds once occupied an expansive range that extended as far east as Florida and New York. The captive breeding of this critically endangered species is one of the most well known efforts to revive an animal on the verge of extinction. When in flight, this huge bird glides on air currents to soar as high as a dizzying 15,000 feet.Ĭondors were sacred birds to the Native Americans who lived in the open spaces of the U.S. Its wings may stretch nearly 10 feet from tip to tip. The California condor is the largest flying bird in North America. Current Population Trend: Increasing What is the California condor?