#597 "Lupine"
Sex: Female
Hatch Location and Date: San Diego Zoo, 4/5/2011
Release Date: Spring 2013
Parents: Foster-reared in captivity. Biological parents; #313, #375
Local Biological Siblings: 800
Breeding Status: Formerly paired with #566
Offspring: None
Deceased: July 2017 Drowning
#597 tended to be more comfortable with the familiar and became quite agitated in stressful situations. During one of her first trap-ups after release, she regurgitated several times while in the flight pen. Condors do this in times of stress and this reaction serves several purposes. It is a way to off-load some weight when predators approach and the condor needs to take flight, and it is also a distraction, since the regurgitated meat that is left behind may encourage the predator to take the free meal rather than pursue the condor. However, after this apparently stressful trap-up, #597 refused to leave the flight pen for several days, despite encouragement from our biologists.
Her egg was laid in the wild by Condor #313 and Condor #375. Due to concerns that her egg may have been thin-shelled, biologists swapped out the egg and transported it to captivity to be incubated artificially under special conditions. Her egg went on to hatch successfully and she was raised by foster parents at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. She was transferred to the Big Sur release site on 11/20/12 and released with #615 in Spring 2013. #597 almost always hung out around Big Sur with her close pal, Condor #615.
Later in her life she paired with resident San Simeon alpha male, #566, and attempted to nest with him several times. This was the first time that Condors had nested in San Luis Obispo County since the reintroduction of condors. Unfortunately both nests were unsuccessful - this is common for new condor parents, and we were hopeful that she and #566 would succeed given a few more tries. She had already showed great maternal instincts - more than once she was observed helping the nervous and confused newly-released condors find their way back to the release slope.
Unfortunately, her life was cut short when she was found drowned in an uncovered water tank. This was a monumental loss for the flock, and she will be missed.
Her egg was laid in the wild by Condor #313 and Condor #375. Due to concerns that her egg may have been thin-shelled, biologists swapped out the egg and transported it to captivity to be incubated artificially under special conditions. Her egg went on to hatch successfully and she was raised by foster parents at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. She was transferred to the Big Sur release site on 11/20/12 and released with #615 in Spring 2013. #597 almost always hung out around Big Sur with her close pal, Condor #615.
Later in her life she paired with resident San Simeon alpha male, #566, and attempted to nest with him several times. This was the first time that Condors had nested in San Luis Obispo County since the reintroduction of condors. Unfortunately both nests were unsuccessful - this is common for new condor parents, and we were hopeful that she and #566 would succeed given a few more tries. She had already showed great maternal instincts - more than once she was observed helping the nervous and confused newly-released condors find their way back to the release slope.
Unfortunately, her life was cut short when she was found drowned in an uncovered water tank. This was a monumental loss for the flock, and she will be missed.
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