| Two
endangered California condor chicks hatch in Arizona
Watchable Wildlife News
June 24, 2004
PHOENIX - Arizona Game and Fish Department
biologists are announcing another success in the comeback story
of the California condor in our state. Biologists confirm two
California condors hatched this summer in Arizona, marking the
latest step in the bird's return from the brink of extinction.
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| This condor was the first
chick to be born in the wild in Arizona. |
In 1987, biologists captured the last of the world's only 22
California condors, in an effort to save and breed the species.
The birds are being cared for by experts and are periodically
released in California, Mexico, and Arizona, as the population
begins to rebound. Condors were reintroduced into Arizona in
1996. The new nestlings are another sign that biologists'
efforts are working.
"We're encouraged by the successful hatching of these two
eggs," says Andi Rogers, head of the Arizona Game and Fish
Department's condor program. "We hope to see signs of recovery
like this every year."
 |
| Biologist Andi Rogers uses
telemetry equipment to monitor condors in Arizona. |
Biologists and volunteers haven't actually seen the chicks
because they are tucked into their cliff nests, more than a
thousand feet away from humans. The parents' behavior patterns
confirmed to biologists that the two eggs laid in March had
hatched. One nestling is in Grand Canyon National Park. The
other is in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument.
"The next important milestone for these chicks will be fledging,
or learning to fly for the first time," Rogers says. "We expect
that to happen in November or December."
Arizona's condor population is steadily increasing. With the
addition of these two nestlings, the state now has 47 condors in
the wild. A total of 97 condors are flying free in the world.
Visitors to the Grand Canyon may catch a glimpse of the birds
flying at the South Rim.
"They're a rare treat for visitors both at the Grand Canyon
Village and at the base of Vermilion Cliffs," says Rogers.
More than 100 California condors are still being cared for in
captivity. The birds can weigh up to 23 pounds and have a
wingspan of up to 9 1/2 feet.
The condor reintroduction in Arizona is a joint project of
several partners, including Arizona Game and Fish Department,
The Peregrine Fund, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of
Land Management, National Park Service, Kaibab National Forest,
and Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
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