By KARIN ARGANO
Condors, the largest flying birds in the world, have a wingspan of about 9.5 feet and can travel over 200 miles a day. Because they were near extinction, the last wild California condor on the Central Coast was taken into captivity about forty years ago to join the last 26 remaining condors and boost the population through a captive breeding program.
Now there are 108 wild condors on the Central Coast according to Senior Biologist Joe Burnett, who leads the Condor Recovery Program for the Ventana Wildlife Alliance (UVA). His recent up-to-date account of recovery efforts in our area was part of Greenspace – The Cambria Land Trust’s Speaker Series about conserving our local nature heritage.
Many obstacles to condors thriving remain, the most pressing being lead poisoning. Condors are poisoned by lead bullet fragments in carcasses and waste piles where they scavenge for food. Even though lead bullets are banned in the condors’ range, many are still in use.
Recently elementary school pupils watched remotely from their classroom while juvenile condors were released into the wild in San Simeon. The kids actually got to call out, “Release the Birds,” and then watched the youngsters venture out of the release cage into the wild to join other condors that live in the area.
A new film, “Condor Canyon,” produced by Executive Director Kelly Sorenson tells the true story of a Big Sur condor recovering from lead poisoning while her mate raises their chick, and they are reunited after treatment. Information about how and when this inspirational story will be available, is on the VWA website at: ventanaws.org/condorcanyon.html.
In the new year, Greenspace will bring more stories of hope and the magic of nature. Keep in touch through greenspacecambria.org. To support our Speaker Series, use the online donation option or USPS to Greenspace – The Cambria Land Trust, PO Box 1505, Cambria CA 93428.
