This summer, the Los Angeles Zoo witnessed a remarkable milestone with 17 California condor chicks hatching, setting a new record.
These chicks are part of ongoing efforts to boost the population of America’s largest flying bird, currently classified as endangered.
Rose Legato, the curator of birds at the zoo, attributed this success to innovative breeding techniques.
By pl’ suracing two or three chicks with a single surrogate adult condor, the team enhances the chicksvival and adaptation to the wild.
These techniques aim to minimize human interaction, fostering natural behavior in the birds.
California condors are vital to ecosystems, acting as nature’s cleanup crew by consuming animal carcasses, thus preventing the spread of disease.
However, their recovery faces challenges like habitat loss and lead poisoning.
To combat this, laws requiring non-lead ammunition have been enacted, and vaccinations against avian influenza are now part of the program.
The recovery of these magnificent birds began in earnest in 1967, with only 22 condors remaining by 1982.
Thanks to collaborative efforts, 561 California condors exist today, with 344 living in the wild.
This article by Trinity Sparke was first published by One Green Planet on 28 July 2024. Image Credit :Georgi Baird/Shutterstock.
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