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Managing the lead threat is paramount to the full recovery of the California Condor population. Even after legislation banned the use of lead ammunition within the condor range, we documented cases of lead toxicosis in condors. For example, one condor died in 2012 after ingesting a .22-caliber lead bullet. This type of bullet is widely used to shoot ground squirrels and other non-game mammals. Despite the growing abundance of non-lead ammunition products for most hunting calibers, availability of non-lead .22 LR ammunition remained inconsistent years after the ban was enacted. We mitigate the lead threat by providing free non-lead ammunition, including .22 LR and other calibers that are difficult to find. We also monitor movement patterns of the flock to identify potential lead exposure sites, provide a lead-free supplemental food source, and facilitate treatment for condors discovered with symptoms of lead poisoning.
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UNLEADED | WILD HOPE
The Copper Bullets That Are Saving America’s Raptors Nature on PBS, Run time 12:44 Watch hunters Hannah Leonard and Brian Bedrosian of Sporting Lead-Free demonstrate the devastating impacts of lead ammunition on the Golden Eagles they love – and how hunters can lead the way in wildlife conservation by making the switch to non-lead.
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UNTAMED | Life is Wild
Lead Poisoning PBS, Run time 26:46 Spent lead ammunition ingested by the Bald Eagle, our nation's symbol, is also devastating to individuals but has less impact to the population compared to condors. Consider also watching this PBS special about Bald Eagles, filmed in Virginia and see how they are approaching the issue.
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A global outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), or Bird Flu, started in 2021 and continues to be a growing concern for wild bird populations, including the California Condor. Unfortunately, an outbreak in 2023 affected 25 California condors in the Arizona population of which 21 died, illustrating how dangerous the disease is to condors. Condor Recovery Program partners sprung to action and secured emergency authorization from US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and by May 2023, vaccine trials were underway with the black vulture as a surrogate species. Trials with California Condors occurred in fall of that same year in zoos and by early 2024, full approval was received to vaccinate the wild flock.
HPAI Updates:
As of July 15, 2024, 28% of the central California flock has been vaccinated against HPAI. Most recently Condor (626), Whiskey Papa (921), Xuchen (956), Sierra (990), Condor (996), Condor (1006), Dian (1011), and Iniko (1031) all received the HPAI vaccination. Oakland Zoo's Dr. Alex Herman administered the vaccine doses at our Big Sur Sanctuary and unfortunately, during the check-up stage, high lead levels were detected in Condor (626) and Condor (1006). At the end of the day, Dr, Herman and her staff transported these two birds directly back to Oakland Zoo for immediate chelation treatment (a medical treatment to remove lead from the blood and lower toxicity). Our biologists transported the remaining six condors to our HPAI pen location at SPCA Monterey County where they will receive their second vaccination dose after a 21-day wait and released a few days later. While Condor (1006) will receive her second dose at the Oakland Zoo before being released, Condor (626) will be released immediately after her treatment and without the HPAI booster because she is paired with Ninja (729) and actively raising a chick. We wish to thank our partners at Oakland Zoo and Pinnacles National Park for their ongoing support!
HPAI - previous Updates
HPAI Updates - Central California Flock
June 6, 2024
We dropped-off quarantine pens at Oakland Zoo so that California Condors can be vaccinated for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and treated for lead poisoning by our partners there. As we've stated before, this initiative is crucial in combating the rising threat of HPAI, which is on the rise again in our region, coming into the area via migrating waterfowl, raptors and other birds. HPAI is the deadliest disease wild condors are facing right now, in the sense that unprotected birds are vulnerable to widespread infection with potentially deadly outcomes. May 8, 2024
Four California Condors, Wild Bill (1085), Little Great One (1089), Jabba (1095), and Pinnacles condor ( 1145) have been re-released to the wild after receiving both doses of the HPAI vaccine. Three were re-released together (as seen in this video) and another, Wild Bill (1085), separately after receiving treatment for lead poisoning at LA Zoo. All four birds were re-released at Pinnacles National Park. Our goal is to vaccinate the entire wild population in central California within 18-24 months. Currently, 18% of the free-flying population is currently vaccinated. To expedite this process, we have built four more quarantine pens at SPCA Monterey County. Thank you to donors, as well as our partners at SPCA Monterey County, Pinnacles National Park, USFWS and USDA for working with us towards making this initiative a success! April 7, 2024
We're thrilled to announce the vaccination of free-flying condors against Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) at our new SPCA Monterey quarantine site. This initiative is crucial in combating the rising threat of HPAI, which is on the rise again in our region, coming into the area via migrating waterfowl, raptors and other birds. HPAI is the deadliest disease wild condors are facing right now, in the sense that unprotected birds are vulnerable to widespread infection with potentially deadly outcomes. Four condors, Wild Bill (1085), Little Great One (1089), Jabba (1095), and Pinnacles condor ( 1145) were recently trapped by Pinnacles National Park (PNP) and received their first HPAI vaccination dose on April 17, 2024, under the care of Dr. Amy Wells, Veterinarian Advisor for the Ventana Wildlife Society and PNP Condor Programs. They'll undergo a health exam and a second "booster" dose 21 days from their first vaccination before being released back into the wild. The recent vaccinations at the SPCA site mark a significant milestone, bringing the total to 18%. USDA’s Center for Veterinary Biologics conducted a potency test for the HPAI vaccine approved for use in California Condors (i.e., Zoetis, 1057.R1 Avian Influenza Vaccine), which had an expiration date of March 31, 2024. Based on the results of the test, the expiration date for the vaccine has been extended for 2 years. December 13, 2023
Vaccinations to protect against Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) are now moving forward! We have have started vaccinating the central California flock. This is a huge relief, of course, especially since the disease is again on the rise coming to the region from migrating waterfowl, raptors and other birds. Thanks to donors, we now have four quarantine pens already set up and ready to go to aid in vaccinations and treatment of all kinds. We also have six others to be erected wherever they are needed most. We want to thank the SPCA Monterey County for allowing us to place the quarantine pens on their property. We also thank the leadership of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and key people at the USDA to get us to this point. Until a much bigger percentage of the wild flock is vaccinated, we won't rest. HPAI is the deadliest disease wild condors are facing right now, in the sense that unprotected birds are vulnerable to widespread infection with poor outcomes. Lead poisoning is still by far the greatest threat overall, but we must protect the wild flocks against HPAI to reduce it to manageable levels and eventually attain sufficient protection. November 3, 2023 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Incident Command Team, in collaboration with partner agencies, continues to develop and implement conservation strategies to help California condors as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) spreads on the landscape during fall migration season. In the upcoming weeks of November, partners operating California condor release sites in northern, central and southern California will begin releasing the first HPAI vaccinated condors into the wild. The timing of the releases will continue to be dependent on the individual condor’s behavior and local weather conditions at the release site. Read the full incident report here. September 29, 2023 Per the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: The California Condor HPAI update webpage may not be maintained after October 1, 2023. As of September 30, 2023, no decision has been made regarding the vaccinations in pre-release, captive, or free-flying condors. The Incident Command will make recommendations and decisions based on the vaccine trial results, currently pending. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and our partners in California Condor recovery, continue to take steps towards releasing birds this fall and winter, implementing biosafety and security precautions considering the ongoing threat of HPAI. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Incident Command Team, in collaboration with partner agencies, continues to develop and implement conservation strategies to help California Condors considering Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). California Condor Vaccination Trial Results on blood samples collected from a segment of the birds on day 21 and 42 are pending analysis by USDA. Vaccination trials of condors in managed care continues. All vaccinations have been completed. Veterinarians are monitoring the birds and continuing to collect blood samples consistent with trial design. Twenty condors have received the vaccine, and five condors are serving as a control group.
The California Condor Recovery Program is taking steps towards releasing birds this fall and winter condor releases for the 2023 season. We do not anticipate birds will be released prior to making a final recommendation and decision about vaccinating pre-release condors. July 25, 2023 So far, HPAI vaccination trials for California Condors in captivity are on track. More to come on this topic. June 22, 2023 The USDA Animal and Plant Heath Inspection Service (APHIS)'s approval of an emergency use of a vaccine against highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, for use on condors is of course an important development. Vaccine trials with Black Vultures are now complete and trails with captive-bred California Condors are set to occur next. Depending upon the results, wild flocks of condors could then be vaccinated. We owe a debt of gratitude to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the USDA for taking this important step forward. We recognize that the vaccine's efficacy on condors is still unknown but assuming it provides some level of protection against bird flu, we will be prepared to vaccinate the wild flock. Thankfully, our partners in Arizona and The Peregrine Fund who lost twenty one (21) condors in the first-ever outbreak of Bird Flu, are no longer finding sick birds. We are especially thankful to our partners at the Oakland Zoo and SPCA Monterey County for their collaboration to help us better prepare for HPAI. If you would like make a donation to assist with this new threat, please make a gift to Condor Recovery today. hpai - update videos
HPAI - Update Videos
How Can I help?
What if i see a sick bird?
What If I See a Sick Bird? HPAI symptoms include lethargy, incoordination, presenting as dull or unresponsive, holding head in an unusual position, and walking in circles. If you encounter a sick or dead bird, do not touch it, instead, report your finding/s to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife via their Mortality Reporting webpage. If you see a sick or deceased California Condor in central California, contact Joe Burnett or Pinnacles National Park at 831-389-4486 x4276. For More information
For More Information • Read USFWS California Condors and HPAI Updates on their California Condor Recovery Program webpage • Learn More About The Current Incidence of HPAI in Wild Birds from USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Find the Current HPAI Situation Summary from Center For Disease Control |
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For condors, wildfires have provided some benefits. Condors use burned snags for roosting and fire-created cavities in large redwoods for nesting. But, as these fires demonstrate, condors may not always survive wildfires that catch them at the wrong time and place. Much like humans have difficulty escaping a house fire without a fire alarm to wake them, condors are especially at risk when wildfires sweep through their territories at night, when they are roosting and unlikely to fly. Yet, as devastating as some of these wildfires have been, lead poisoning remains the leading cause of fatalities and the greatest threat to condor recovery.
2020 - Dolan Fire
The Dolan Fire had the greatest impact of any wildfire on Ventana Wildlife Society and the local condor population. Just as we were celebrating the 100th condor in the central California population, the Dolan Fire took the lives of nine free-flying wild condors and two chicks that were in nests on that fateful night of August 20-21, 2020. Chicks in three other active nests in the path of the fire were spared, one by field crews who were able to access the nest in time to evacuate the chick. Another condor, while surviving the blaze initially, later died as a result of the wounds he suffered. Our facilities at the Big Sur Condor Sanctuary were not immune to the inferno, as they were also destroyed during the night. Thanks to the generous support of our members and donors, new and improved facilities are in the works with a projected completion date of Fall 2022.
Condors Lost to the Dolan Fire - “Kingpin” #167, “Survivor” #375, “Electra” #678, “Boreas” #773, “Arthur” #789, “Tonks” #875, Scabbers #901, #448, #9001, and #9003. Two chicks, #1022 (whose parents are #448, female #543) and #1029 (whose parents are McWay #567 and Loner #311). dolan fire timeline, 8/19/20-10/30/20
2016 - Sobranes fire
In 2016, an illegal campfire at Garrapata State Park started the Soberanes Fire, which burned over 130,000 acres from the Carmel region south into Los Padres National Forest and the Ventana Wilderness. Occurring north of the Big Sur Condor Sanctuary, no condors were lost as a result of the fire. 2008 - basin complex fire
The Basin Complex Fire was a massive wildfire near Big Sur that ignited on June 21, 2008, and was the result of a lightning strike. It eventually grew to 162,818 acres and claimed the lives of two wild condors, 278 and 377. |
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Powerline collisions and electrocutions have claimed the lives of several condors. The fog and winds typical of the Big Sur coast can elevate the threat by obscuring powerlines and limiting the ability of birds to navigate hazards. We consistently collaborate with Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) to improve condor safety. In 2011, PG&E buried a high-risk powerline near the condor release site along the Big Sur coast, thereby eliminating a major threat. Then they retrofitted spans in other sensitive areas with insulated tree wire, reducing the risk of electrocution while increasing the visibility of the lines. We also drafted a risk assessment with PG&E to identify structures of relatively high risk, so the company can prioritize retrofits with a proactive approach.
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Condors are always on the lookout for calcium to supplement their diet. In searching for natural forms of calcium, like small bones and sea shells, they might pick up small pieces of litter by mistake. Things like plastic, glass, or bottle caps. This "micro-trash", as we call it, can be especially harmful to their chicks if brought back to the nest. Most condor nests end up with a few items of micro-trash, and these usually do not harm the chick. However, in large amounts, micro-trash can potentially sicken or even kill condor chicks.
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Condors are sensitive to marine contaminants in the environment. We conducted research in collaboration with Robert Riseborough (The Bodega Bay Institute), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Santa Barbara Zoo, and the Los Angeles Zoo, and found that mean thickness of eggshell fragments in central California nests was 34% lower than the mean for interior southern California. We also found lower hatching success in central California. We concluded that eggshell thinning, characterized by a reduction or absence of the outer crystalline layer, was associated with marine contaminants, because condors in central California frequently scavenge marine mammal carcasses, whereas condors in interior southern California do not. We found that DDE, a metabolite of the infamous organochloride DDT, was the source of condor eggshell thinning based on the concentrations measured in our sample of failed eggs and the proximity of the Montrose Chemical Corporation DDT contamination site to seasonal sites used by marine mammal populations visiting the central California coast. We can help mitigate the threat by replacing thin-shelled eggs discovered in nests with normal eggs laid by condors in captivity
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ventana wildlife societyVentana Wildlife Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization | Federal EIN 94-2795935
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