July 19, 2006
Condor Update as of 19 July 06
Condor enthusiasts--
Attached below are the latest Condor updates from Marker Marshall, Park Ranger for Interpretation at
Grand Canyon National Park, and Kathy Sullivan of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
From Marker Marshall:
Here are approximate current condor totals, by my calculations. This is based on California Department of Fish and Game numbers for June 1, with corrections for Arizona from Thomas Lord of Peregrine Fund, and updates from California. (They've reported 6 birds released at Big Sur in early June. Also the mortalities of a wild chick, described below, and of one of the newly-released birds, found dead beneath a power
line on July 2.) As written on the latest population report from California, "Numbers reported in the monthly status report should be treated as tentative data"!
World total: 297
Wild population in CA: 71
Wild population in Baja: 15
Wild population in AZ: 60
--This includes #134, soon to be re-released,
#122, still at the Phoenix Zoo, and
# 196, missing since April.
--It does not include the 8 condors in the flight pen at Vermilion
Cliffs, awaiting their first release.
Total wild population: 146
Total captive population: 151.
Summary of this year's breeding:
In Arizona this year, all three nests failed at the egg stage.
In California this year, at one time there were 5 suspected eggs. Their fate:
--Regarding the suspected nest on Big Sur, "One pair...appeared to be setting up camp in a redwood tree. We had an unseasonably strong storm hit in late April that really put a strain on the Redwood pair and they abandoned the nest shortly after." Breeding was never verified.
--Regarding the 4 suspected nests in southern CA:
- The nest of AC-9 and his mate failed around hatching time in April. Severe torrential rains were present around that time.
- Another nest failed May 10, also around hatching time.
- On June 27, the desiccated body of a nearly 3-month-old chick was found below the nest cave that had been successful in 2004. Cause of death unknown.
- That leaves one chick on which to pin all hopes for the 2006 wild breeding season. This egg was hatched May 1, following an egg swap conducted April 29 with an egg from the Los Angeles Zoo that was ready to
start piping. The egg removed from the nest site was fertile; I assume it has since hatched at the L.A. Zoo, to be raised in captivity.
In captivity this year, as of June 1 there were 29 surviving nestlings from 36 captive-laid eggs.
Summary of previous wild nesting successes:
--In Arizona,
- one wild condor (#305) fledged successfully from a Grand Canyon(Salt Creek) nest in 2003, but died in 2005.
- two chicks fledged successfully in 2004 and are doing well in the wild: one in Grand Canyon(Battleship), one in the Vermilion Cliffs.
- two chicks fledged successfully in 2005 and are doing well in the wild. one in Grand Canyon(Salt Creek), one in the Vermilion Cliffs. The Grand Canyon chick, #392, has not yet been captured.
--In California,
- one wild condor fledged successfully in 2004 and is doing well in the wild.
Ms. Marker Marshall
Park Ranger--Interpretation
Grand Canyon National Park
From Kathy Sullivan:
California Condor AZ Update - 10 July 2006
This condor update is provided solely for the purpose of disseminating information to project cooperators and other interested parties. For media requests, please contact me directly at 928-214-1249 or ksullivan@azgfd.gov.
Condor Breeding
The egg of first time breeders, condors 133 & 158 was recovered on 5 June 2006 by Thom Lord, Eric Weiss, and Marty Jenkins of the Peregrine Fund, after the pair finally abandoned their nest cave. The egg was submitted for testing and results indicated the egg was fertile, but the embryo died shortly before hatching. Since it is common for a pair’s first nesting attempt to fail, the fate of this nest was not a surprise, and it’s a very good sign that the pair’s first egg was actually fertile.
The egg of second time breeders, condors 187 & 136 was submitted for testing in late May. Results confirmed this egg was also fertile and the embryo died just prior to hatching – the same fate of their egg last year. Late death embryo is a natural event that occurs in both the wild and captive condor populations. Two of the successful breeding pairs in Arizona failed twice before they produced their first chick. Hopefully the third time will be the charm for this pair also.
Condor Lead Exposure
Condor 122 is still being treated for lead exposure at the Phoenix Zoo and is expected to return to the wild shortly. Condor 134, who was also being treated for lead exposure at the Zoo, was healthy enough for transport back to the Vermilion Cliffs treatment facility for further recuperation in June and will be re-released soon. Thanks to the diligent observations of the Peregrine Fund biologists, the Grand Canyon Helitack crew and biologists, the quick response by AZGFD pilots, and the staff of the Phoenix Zoo, it looks like both these birds will join the Arizona flock again.
A few lead exposure events have occurred this spring/summer, none fatal. It is usual to see a spike in condor lead exposure events each spring, after the forests experience an increase in human activity.
Condor Movements
Condor 392 (the 2005 Grand Canyon chick) expanded its range in June. Peregrine biologists observed the tagless 392 at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon this month, marking the farthest documented flight for this bird. In addition, condor 392 was observed with other condors perched above a deer carcass. Hopefully, one of the bird’s next journeys will take it to the release site and one step closer to receiving a transmitter and vaccination for WNV.
The rest of the condors are still traveling. Biologists are busy monitoring the Vermilion Cliffs, the Kaibab Plateau, the North Rim, the South Rim, southern Utah, and everywhere in between.
The condors didn’t seem to be adversely affected by the 59,000 acre Warm Fire, although the fire restricted biologists’ access to the Kaibab and North Rim for a week. The birds simply avoided the fire and smoke during their travels. It’s possible some increased forage (animals killed or displaced by the fire) may be available on the Kaibab Plateau thanks to the fire, which is now 100% contained.
News from California
The two 2006 wild-hatched chicks are still doing well in California. They should be ready to fledge this fall.
Several condors from the Pinnacles release site were exposed to lead after feeding on squirrels shot with lead ammunition. It was also possible that the birds fed on some nearby poisoned squirrels. All birds involved were trapped, treated and released, with no resulting mortalities.
Six captive-reared condors were released at Big Sur on 4 June 2006. Several of the Big Sur birds are still feeding on the beached gray whale.