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Good news for California condors: Their population just topped 400-- 405 to be precise -- the most since the effort to save thespecies began 30 years ago as it teetered on extinction's edge. An April 30 count found 226 of the enormous vultures flying freeover California, Arizona and Baja, Mexico, and 179 living in zoosand four breeding centers, including the Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation , an Oregon Zoo-run operation in rural Clackamas County. That said, the species faces steep challenges, and the Oregon Zoo program, which has hatched 35 chicks altogether, has had a toughspring. Among eight eggs laid, three chicks have survived with one more dueto hatch around June 9. One egg was infertile. One contained an airbubble that destroyed vesseling, so the embryo died. Two otherlate-stage chicks died despite efforts by zoo staff to help themhatch; the veterinarian sent tissue samples to a lab to try todetermine what went wrong. "We know their yolk sacs looked odd. They were enlarged," saidKelli Walker, senior condor keeper. "But nothing on the necropsywas obvious." For Walker and others working in the condor recovery trenches, eachloss disappoints and each new chick is a precious addition to a species that once symbolized American wilderness. California condors used to range across much of the nation;explorers Lewis and Clark dubbed them the "beautiful buzzards ofthe Columbia." But the bald-headed birds whose wings span nearly 10 feet and whocan live up to 60 years were almost wiped out by 1982, when only 23remained in the world. Five years later, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and partners captured the remaining wild condors and placed themin breeding programs at the Los Angeles Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise established the third breeding center, and the Oregon Zoo built its condor barn and flight pens in 2003, welcoming its first breeding pairs that November. It was believed to be the first time in nearly 100 years the birdshad spread their wings in Oregon, part of their historic range. Including the new chicks, the zoo houses 46 condors today. Of the chicks hatched in Oregon, 21 have been released inCalifornia and Arizona; Oregon has no release sites. Five of thosesince have died. It's suspected, Walker says, that lead poisoningkilled three. One was caught by a mountain lion. Cause of death forthe fifth bird is unknown. Other surviving Oregon Zoo-hatched condors have been kept forbreeding because of their genetic value to the species. Hitting that 400-bird mark isn't necessarily scientificallysignificant, but it bolsters the spirits of those working to revivea species that plays a key role in nature. Condors feed only offdead animals, picking them clean, which helps keep disease fromspreading. I am an expert from medical-hospitalbeds.com, while we provides the quality product, such as Hospital Bed Accessories , Hospital Furniture Chairs, Examination Couch,and more.
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