{"id":12131,"date":"2018-11-26t15:44:35","date_gmt":"2018-11-26t15:44:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dpetrov.2create.studio\/planet\/wordpress\/more-endangered-california-condors-soon-will-soar\/"},"modified":"2018-11-26t15:44:35","modified_gmt":"2018-11-26t15:44:35","slug":"california-condors-endangered","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.getitdoneaz.com\/story\/california-condors-endangered\/","title":{"rendered":"more endangered california condors soon will soar"},"content":{"rendered":"

by emily fohr<\/strong><\/p>\n

soledad, calif. \u2013 there is a calming resonance of nature\u2019s finest and subtlest sounds at pinnacles national park. leaves rustle and birds warble as the wind moves between the rolling mountains.<\/p>\n

on a good day, park visitors might see california condors circling overhead, with wingspans stretching up to 10 feet.<\/p>\n

rachel wolstenholme, condor program manager at pinnacles, carrying telemetry equipment to an outlook, prepared to track these giants of the sky. the park manages 44 condors in the wild and serves as a release site for reintroduction into the wild.<\/p>\n

in 1987, condors were on the brink of extinction. all 22 birds remaining in the wild were taken into captive breeding through collaborative programs with the u.s. fish and wildlife service, ventana wildlife society and the peregrine fund.<\/p>\n

three decades later, the california condor is slowly rebounding. earlier this fall, four california condors were released at vermillion cliffs national monument in arizona, where around 85 condors live in rugged terrain along the arizona-utah line.<\/p>\n

\"condor
a california condor flies over hopper mountain nwr near los padres national forest. (photo courtesy jon myatt\/usfws)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cin fact, this year is really exciting, because this year we had a record number of nests,\u201d said nadya seal faith, conservation and science associate at the santa barbara zoo, which runs a condor recovery program. \u201cin southern california, there was 12. that\u2019s the most of any that we know historically.\u201d<\/p>\n

seal faith works closely with condors in captivity, observing their behavioral and social behaviors.<\/p>\n

\u201cit\u2019s not only a fascinating species but a fascinating program to work with.\u201d seal faith said. the zoo started to exhibit the condors in 2009.<\/p>\n

she says there are now about 500 condors in the world, 300 of which are in the wild.<\/p>\n

but the scavengers, which survive off the remains of animals killed by hunters, still battle their leading cause of death: lead poisoning.<\/p>\n

\u201cthe only issue is that lead ammunition fragments into many, many, many tiny pieces inside a carcass,\u201d wolstenholme said.<\/p>\n

she doesn\u2019t want to discourage hunting, but to inform hunters of alternatives to lead ammunition.<\/p>\n

\u201cthere\u2019s copper bismuth, rifle ammunition,\u201d wolstenholme said. \u201cthere\u2019s also steel shot, if people are using lead shot right now, like in a shotgun, there\u2019s steel shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

still, wolstenholme hopes california condors will be taken off the endangered species list in the near future.<\/p>\n

\u201ci like to say less than a decade. i actually know we can get there sooner. it\u2019s all about making sure that they have a clean food resource,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

in december, pinnacles national park will release three california condors into the wild.<\/p>\n

\u201cwe\u2019ll open the trap door for them, so they can leave when they\u2019re ready,\u201d wolstenholme said.<\/p>\n

joint efforts and successful releases keep her and seal faith motivated.<\/p>\n

\u201cit\u2019s just been so collaborative, and it\u2019s been so great to see so many people, you know, wanting this bird to succeed,\u201d seal faith said. \u201cand i think that\u2019s just been really special to be a part of.\u201d<\/p>\n