California Condor

California Condor Stats

Wingspan: 91/2 FeetWeight: 25 poundsFood: large dead animalsTravel: 150 miles a daySoar: up to 50 miles an hourLong Lived: 60 years

Habitat: cliffs, ledges, forests, & large open grasslands Pleistocene: condor found throughout North America Mating: for life Fledge: 5-6 months Sexually mature: 5 years of age Reproduction: single egg every other year Dependent on parent for 1-2 years Dimorphism: same for adults - young all black to age of 3-4yrs

Reasons for Reduced Populations

Food Resources: large game Settling of the west Shooting Poisoning from lead and DDT Egg collecting Habitat degradation

Population: dwindled to just 22 birdsCaptive breedingReintroduction of captive bred birds began in 1992 in

California & in 1996 in Arizona.

Recovery Plan1. Placed on the federal endangered species list in 19672. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began a captive breeding program in 19803. In 1987, a controversial decision was made to bring all remaining condors (22 individuals) into captivity4. Captive bred condors released into the wild 19925. Double clutching6. Puppetry7. Soft Release - hacking

Recovery Efforts

Losses

Shootings $150.00, 2K, 20K and community service Collisions with power lines Electrocution Anti Freeze Lead Poisoning Fire

Program GoalsTo be downlisted from Endangered to Threatened

Maintenance of at least 2 wild populations Maintenance of one captive population Each population must:

number at least 150 individuals must contain at least 15 breeding pairs be reproductively self sustaining have a positive rate of population growth

Non-captive populations must: be spatially disjunct and non-interacting contain descendents from each of the 14 founders

Population

Condor Numbers (updated 12/5/07)Total population 300Captive population 142Wild population 158Arizona population 63California population 80Baja population 15

Arguments Against

Intrusion into natureProperty RightsCostA risk that might speed the birds demise

Power Pole Aversion Training

Whooping Crane

•Estimated that between 500 and 1,400 whooping cranes inhabited North America in 1870 •Collisions from power lines •illegal shooting for meat and sport• Avian tuberculosis, avian cholera, and lead poisoning• Due to their long migration route, whooping cranes also are vulnerable to natural disasters such as hail storms or draught. •The Crane's delayed breeding maturity and small clutch size make the population slow to recover

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