A few months ago I had
the opportunity to watch a very interesting documentary about how biologists
and hunters in California are collaborating to save the California condor from
extinction.
“Scavenger Hunt,” was produced by Boise non-profit Wild Lens, featuring Chris Parish of The Peregrine Fund
The film is called
“Scavenger Hunt” and is the first of its kind that I have seen that actually
credits hunters for their conservation efforts. At the same time, it is a very well done educational piece
that explains to hunters the many reasons why they should consider switching to
lead-alternative ammunitions (if they haven’t already).
Of course, their main
focus is to prevent species like the California Condor from going extinct, as
they feed on carcasses that many times contain lead fragments. These lead particles and fragments can
also be consumed by hunters and their families.
This film follows
biologists that survey the condors and depicts what really goes on in the
field. They not only observe these
birds from afar, but they track them extensively and capture each numbered bird
once or twice a year to test their blood levels for lead exposure. I don’t want to give away all of the
details of the film, but unfortunately despite all best efforts, sometimes
intervention comes too late.
Flying California Condor - Photo courtesy of The Peregrine Fund/Chris Parish
In 1981 there were only 21
California Condors left in the wild.
Today, through captive breeding programs
and conservation efforts, those numbers have increased to over 200 in the wild. That is a great improvement from where
they were, but at only 200, the wild population is still at a huge risk for extinction.
The life of a California
condor is not an easy one. A pair
must spend 57 days working on incubating an egg. Then it takes 5 – 6 months of development before the chick
is ready to try its wings. The
youngster may remain dependent on their parents for up to a year after
fledging. Wild Condors will
usually only raise one chick every two years. This one chick will take around 6 – 8 years to begin
breeding attempts. Reproductive
rates are low for Condors, and much time and effort is dedicated by both the
Condor parents and by biologists who try and do everything possible to make
sure that the egg hatches, the chick fledges and one day has offspring of its
own.
The state of California
banned the use of lead ammunition in 2008 in the 8 counties in which California
Condors are found. This has also
helped reduce lead levels in other birds of prey, such as Golden Eagles and
Turkey Vultures. These 2 species
have smaller territories and a more varied diet. Banning lead ammunition in the 8 counties, though, does not seem to have improved
things much for the Condors.
Condors can eat from 75 – 100 carcasses
per year, and even a single exposure to lead can be deadly. They can fly over 200 miles a day,
which is beyond the counties in which lead is banned.
Of course, any time you
mention guns or ammunition these days, people get uncomfortable and sometimes
even hot under the collar. I
believe that this film fairly represents both sides of the issues, allowing the
viewer to come to an educated and ethical conclusion of their own.
For more information on
this film, Click Here.
For information about
alternatives to lead ammunition, Click Here.
For other resources about
condors and lead, check out the Institute for Wildlife Studies Here.
Submitted by Billie
Baumann, World Bird Sanctuary Outreach Coordinator
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