Is the California Condor on the Brink of the Abyss?
Lead ammunition in carcasses is the main cause of lead poisoning in California condors.
As a scavenger, the California condor gets most of its food by eating dead animals. Unfortunately, if condors eat animals that have been shot by hunters or ranchers, they face the possibility of ingesting fragments of lead bullets, which can lead to life-threatening lead poisoning. The birds are being constantly monitored and their blood lead levels tested twice a year, and if necessary, they will be treated. Nevertheless, animals regularly die of lead poisoning. Since 1997, half of all animals living in the wild, were treated to that effect.
According to a toxicologist at the University of California, we will never have a free-living and self-sustaining condor population if we do not solve this problem. Without the help of people who breed animals and then release them to the wild, the population would decrease again and the condor will probably become extinct, as it was almost the case in 1982, when there were only 22 birds left. With the help of breeders, the population has increased again to 400. The healthy ones are released back into the wild, but not before being outfitted with a solar-powered GPS unit and VHF transmitter so their location and activity can continue to be monitored by scientists.
Laws against lead ammunition are politically difficult, but recently the California legislature voted to ban lead ammunition to protect California condors from the toxic substance. But in addition to hunting by farmers and ranchers, the destruction of natural habitats, as well as pesticides such as DDT and other highly toxic substances are the main causes of extinction.
Condor bird facts
The California condor is one of the rarest and most endangered birds in the world. He is a giant vulture, whose Pleistocene ancestors probably fed on the carcasses of animals that had died in the La Brea Tar Pits, which is where Los Angeles is located today. Condors have been known to fly as high as 15,000 ft. The condor is one of the longest living birds in the world with a life span of up to 60 years. Overall length of a Condor is between 43 to 55 inches. They can fly up to speeds of 55 mph.
Condor in the Grand Canyon
As of April 2013, 73 condors soar over Arizona and Utah. Many of them frequent Grand Canyon. They come from captive breeding locations, but more importantly, a number of them come from wild nest caves in and around the Grand Canyon. The best time to see a condor at the Grand Canyon is during the warmer months, April to September. Keep an eye out for condors soaring over the canyon on either rim by day. Also, check out the cliffs and Douglas-fir trees below Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim late in the afternoon. That’s when condors tend to pick out their overnight roosts. If you see a condor, enjoy it!
Adopt-a-Condor Program
California Condors are back, but the population still needs help. Condors continue to be threatened by lead poisoning and other contaminants. Support a team of dedicated biologists who daily monitor the health of the population, maintain feeding areas stocked with lead-free carcasses, regularly test condor blood lead levels, and arrange treatment for affected birds. Prompt treatment has saved the lives of many condors in the flock.
You can help condors by joining the adopt-a-condor program. Purchase a stuffed conservation critter for only $12 at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center and take it with you to the Canyon, submit your photos and show your support! Proceeds will support the California Condor Restoration Program a project of the Peregrine Fund. Available in the Store at the Grand Canyon, South Rim. We can also ship a condor to you. Call 928-638-2468 and we can process your order.
