More than 500 people celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Arizona-Utah program this year, watching as four young condors took their first flights into the wild, according to a October 14 report.
The release of the birds occurred on September 26, when the enclosure gate was opened at noon Utah time. The four birds, which consist of three females and one male, were hatched and raised at the World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho.
The released birds arrived at a large pen near the top of a 1,000-foot cliff fourteen weeks before the release to acclimate. Following the release, members of the wild flock returned to welcome the newcomers and assist them in learning how to find food and safe roosts.
Briana Bode, a field biologist with The Peregrine Fund, stated that the team will monitor the young birds using GPS tags and radio transmitters to improve survival chances. If a young bird remains on the ground and is exposed to predators, the team can intervene and return it to the socialization pen before attempting another release.
California condors feature a wingspan of nine to 10 feet and act as obligate scavengers. While fossil remains indicate they inhabited the region during the last Ice Age, they are currently vulnerable to lead poisoning from bullet fragments in animal carcasses.
Officials suggest that educating hunters on using lead-free ammunition can help protect condors, eagles, and other scavengers.
