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CALIFORNIA CONDOR
California Condors
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http://birdfotos.com I am glad you came to view the Condors |
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WELL, Maybe, I have found a new and reliable source
for Condor information, remember I said maybe.
This person is a Park Ranger --Intertation person for the Grand Canyon National park.
The person's (ladies) name is
Ms. Marker Marshall
Marker_Marshall@nps.gov
Should you question any of her information.
up-dates as of 10/12/2007
I will post more up dates as I get them.
12-10-08
Hunters and Condor enthusiasts:
Hello Condor Enthusiasts--
Condor numbers have changed since my Condor Update of Nov 29.
Unfortunately, there have been three fatalities reported since then. One
is an Arizona bird, 3-year-old #384M/tag 84. He was killed by a coyote
near the release site at Vermilion Cliffs. This was the first instance of
coyote predation in our birds since 2002. The other fatalities were of a
condor temporarily in captivity in Baja and another in captivity in Boise.
So cross out Tag 84 from your condor charts. Unless there is other bad
news that has not yet been reported, that makes current numbers as of today
(including temporarily captive birds as wild):
World Total: 324
In California: 87
In Baja: 19
In AZ/UT: 68
Two recent news articles relate to the lead issue:
1. California's ban on hunting large game with lead ammunition in condor
country has now been expanded to include non-game species. For more
details, see this L.A. Times article at
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-me-condors4-2008dec04,0,1706424.story
2. The other item regards a small study of blood samples taken from
grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, indicating that their
blood lead levels tend to become elevated during hunting season. It is not
known whether the raised lead levels have affected the health or
development of the grizzlies in any way. The article can be found at
http://www.jacksonholenews.com/print.php?art_id=3892&pid=news
Regarding the Grand Canyon fledglings and other Arizona/Utah birds:
Both fledglings continue well as of their last sightings. Their parents are
seen from time to time flying below or occasionally above the south rim,
but the rest of the condors are spending their time mostly on the North
Kaibab National Forest, up in southern Utah, or around the release site at
Vermilion Cliffs. Eddie Feltes reports that The Peregrine Fund biologists
have been trapping condors at the release site lately and testing them for
lead. A number of condors have tested high for lead and been held for a
week of chelation (two shots per day with a calcium compound that bonds
with the lead and gets it out of their system). The rest, depending on
their lead levels, were re-released immediately or the next day.
By the way, "fledgling" is defined in The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of
North American Birds as "a young bird that has recently left the nest; is
feathered; and still depends on its parent for food. It is a fledgling from
the time it leaves the nest until it is independent of all parental care
(Berger, 1961)." By that definition, these two Grand Canyon youngsters
will be classified as fledglings throughout this winter and probably well
into 2009. Fledglings from the nest cave in the Vermilion Cliffs have
become independent of their parents much faster thanks to their proximity
to the dairy calf carcasses provided every few days near the release site.
But that nest produced no chicks this year.
Have a great holiday and winter! I'll be back February 25; until then
contact Patricia_Brown@nps.gov with any questions, and follow condor news
as desired at The Peregrine Fund's "Notes from the Field,"
http://www.peregrinefund.org/notes_category.asp?category=California%20Condor%20Releases%20in%20Arizona
.
--Marker
Ms. Marker Marshall
Park Ranger--Interpretation
Grand Canyon National Park
P.O. Box 129
Grand Canyon, AZ 86023
voice: (928) 638-7830
fax: (928) 638-7776
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