![]() And this is how we got to the Illescas Peninsula in Peru, the perfect place for it.Īn existing captive population of Andean Condors in the United States, probably of Peruvian origin, was chosen for the task, and their chicks were the focal point. ANDEAN CONDOR FREEThe plan also needed a safe place where it could be carried out, one with wild condors and free from human interference. The Andean Condor is the closest and most similar relative to that of the California Condor, and therefore, it had to help to save it. LOOK: Birdwatchers Flock to See Rare 8-ft Raptor After Huge Russian Eagle Takes Detour into MaineĮxperimenting with the techniques this endeavor demanded was a great challenge, and such a limited number of California Condors could not be put at risk in testing them. And, if successful, would they survive in freedom? Would the effort have served any purpose? Though captive breeding techniques had already been developed, reintroducing birds to the wild was more difficult, even more so for a bird of that size and wide flight range. ![]() Those biologists were literally putting their necks on the line, but they did have high hopes and an appropriate budget. Very little was known about them, and at the time, no one had experience with such a program. The plan was to reproduce the California Condor in captivity, and while the causes that led to their near extinction were corrected, they would be re-introduced into the wild to repopulate their original territories. The idea of catching them seemed risky and bold. The California Condor, beyond being the largest North American bird, has a religious and magical significance for the ancestral and modern cultures of its country. A bold, but risky plan to save the California condor Andean Condor. ANDEAN CONDOR FULLThe mountains, rising at the edge of a sea with colonies of sea lions and whale bones stranded in time, in the middle of a desert full of attractive animals, such as the tiny Sechura foxes and coral snakes, were the dream of a young biologist. To get there you had to be very well equipped.ĬHECK OUT: Album of Endangered Bird Songs Soars Above Taylor Swift to Number 3 on Music Chartįurthermore, feral populations of donkeys and goats, introduced animals of unknown origin, were known to exist there. Just a stretch of 200 kilometers of a completely pristine beach, the longest in Peru. What made it even more appealing was that, from that point of the northern coast where the Humboldt current flows away from the mainland in the direction to the Galapagos Islands, there were no towns or roads to or from the nearest city, Chiclayo. It was the only known site on the coast where the Andean Condor nested. In the 1980s, the Illescas peninsula was one of those almost inaccessible places, with a surreal air about it. ![]() With the technical support of scientists, led by the San Diego Zoo, they proceeded to capture them all. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) decided to act. When only 22 of them remained in the wild, flying freely in the skies of North America (in addition to some in captivity), the U.S. Others, practical and stubborn, believed that they could be saved and that it was necessary to act quickly and radically. Some said that extinction was inevitable, and, as a matter of respect, we should let the species go in peace. The annual censuses showed a significant drop in numbers.Īt the time, there was a bitter discussion about what to do. As the chick grows you may catch a glimpse of this sweet new arrival, or even hear her, on your next National Aviary visit.By the late 1970s, it was clear that the California Condor was on its way to disappearing, as a result of poisoning, hunting, and habitat destruction. This chick’s hatching is an important step for the declining South American species. This adorable little one is cozy in her Condor Court nest cave with Lianni, her very attentive mother. Marijo may continue to spend a majority of her time in the nest cave as she acclimates, but you may catch a glimpse of this adorable new arrival on your next National Aviary visit. In an exciting turn of events, Marijo fledged the nest on the same day as her official naming, taking her first steps out of the nest cave where she has been staying with her mother, Lianni. ![]() You can read more about our work in Ecuador, where this species is Critically Endangered. The Andean Condor chick who hatched on June 7 is doing well and growing quickly, and now this special chick has a name: Marijo! Three generous friends of the National Aviary, Rich Caruso and John and Marianne DiDonato, chose her name, which is pronounced “Mary Jo.” Their gift supports our efforts to help Andean Condors rebound. The National Aviary welcomes a new female Andean Condor to our flock! ![]()
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