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California Condors



Hi!
The following appeared in today's NY Times SCIENCE SECTION:


Return to the Wild

One of the orignal group of 27 Cal. condors that were captured in the
mid-1980's as part of an effort to save the birds from extinction will
be released back to the wild today.

The condor, the last female caught among the original group, and the
first to be sent back,will be released in her native habitat, the Sespe
Condor Sanctuary in the Los Padres National Forest, about 30 miles east
of Santa Barbara.She will be a  "mentor" to two 10-month-old condors
hatched in captivity and being released at the same time. Among other
things, she is expected to teach theyounger birds about where to find
sites for roosting and 
foraging.

The bird had been at the San Diego Zoo, part of the Cal. Condor Recovery
Project,which was initiated in the mid-1970's and has seen the condor
population swell to 155, including 56 that have been releaed into the
wild. The bird, known as AC-8, had nine offspring, but is now believed
to be beyond breeding age.

Officials with the project expect that AC-8 will have little trouble
readjusting to the wild,even after 14 years. She has spent the past
several months in a flight pen at the Los Angeles Zoo,preparing for her
re-entry.

Let's wish her well!
Tom


Tom Joyce (tominbrevard@webtv.net)
PO Box 2542
Brevard, NC 28712