Condor Watch Talk

Handy General Population Guide, June 2014.

  • Rick_N. by Rick_N.

    Just a note for a population guide dated the 31st July 2014 from the National Park Service.

    California Condor Recovery Program 31st July, 2014 Population Size and Distribution.
    http://www.fws.gov/cno/es/CalCondor/PDF_files/2014/Condor Program Monthly Status Report 2014-7-31.pdf

    Total population 437. Am I right in thinking that they can be de-listed from the U.S. Endangered Species Act when the population reaches 450?

    Posted

  • Canmore1919 by Canmore1919

    Hi Rick, Thanks for the link -very informative!
    I did some minor detective work and discovered the following details regarding the endangered species de-listing, copied unashamedly from the following URL dated from 2011: Arizona Condor recovery program

    The key details from the website are:
    In order to be downlisted from Endangered to Threatened, The Recovery Goals of the California Condor Program are as follows:

    • Maintenance of at least 2 wild populations
    • Maintenance of one captive population
    • Each population must:
      -number at least 150 individuals
      -must contain at least 15 breeding pairs
      -be reproductively self sustaining
      -have a positive rate of population growth
    • Non-captive populations must:
      -be spatially disjunct and non-interacting
      -contain descendents from each of the 14 founders

    Anyways hope that helps!

    Posted

  • myraf by myraf scientist

    Thanks Canmore 1919. just to add to this, our research showed that the wild (aka free-flying) condor population in CA is not self-sustaining due to the high mortality from lead poisoning: http://www.pnas.org/content/109/28/11449.long. But, our models show that if lead poisoning is greatly reduced (or better yet, eliminated), the condor population could recover.

    Posted

  • Rick_N. by Rick_N.

    The study "Lead poisoning and the deceptive recovery" gives a very useful summary of the CaCon's plight. Without almost the complete eradication of lead-based ammunition, the condor population would fall back to the levels that necessitated the breeding programme in the first place. A bleak outlook indeed. Quoting from that paper:

    "Restricting the use of lead ammunition is a complicated political process and illustrates the challenge of merging political and conservation-oriented goals".

    That I venture is the problem with many ecological and environmental conservation projects. I hope the lead ammunition ban due by 2019 goes a long way to helping the condors' recovery. In many ways though, it's none of my (or others outside the US) business. Five thousand miles away, there's little someone such as myself can do about such matters, apart from count condors and keep Wiki up-to-date! Interesting to note that this is probably one of the most politically-involved Zooniverse projects yet started.

    By the way, I hope my awkwardness on Californian politics doesn't upset people- it's not meant to.

    Posted

  • Canmore1919 by Canmore1919

    Hi myraf, Any comments or observations on AZ condor population? Are they experiencing the same issues re: lead poisoning mortalities?

    Posted

  • myraf by myraf scientist

    Hi Canmore 1919, yes unfortunately the AZ condor population is also experiencing high rates of lead poisonings and high numbers of lead-related moralities. Indeed, lead poisoning is the number one cause of mortality for the juvenile and adult free-flying condors in AZ as well as CA (out of the condors where the cause of death was determined. See this paper for more info:http://www.peregrinefund.org/docs/pdf/research-library/2012/2012-Rideout-california-condors.pdf).
    The issue of lead poisoning of condors (or other scavenging species such as eagles) is not just a California problem.

    Posted

  • Rick_N. by Rick_N.

    Latest Condor Program Monthly Status Report & Locations up until 31st October 2014. Total population 425.

    http://www.fws.gov/cno/es/CalCondor/PDF_files/2014/Condor Program Monthly Status Report 2014-10-31.pdf

    Posted

  • Rick_Nowell by Rick_Nowell

    As of December 31st 2015, population statistics can be found here:

    https://www.fws.gov/cno/es/calcondor/Condor.cfm

    Total population 435, including an increase in the wild population from 228 to 268 and a decrease in the captive population.

    Posted

  • myraf by myraf scientist

    Thanks Rick! 2015 was a great year -- as also posted on our facebook page, in 2015 more condors hatched and fledged in the wild than adult wild condors died.
    http://bigstory.ap.org/article/d6e2fa85492e40039cd7088477b38106/california-condors-reach-key-survival-milestone-wild

    Posted

  • Rick_Nowell by Rick_Nowell in response to myraf's comment.

    That's great! A significant step forward for all concerned- I do hope it continues. Rainy here in England but we've just had the hottest day in September since 1911; 34.4 Celsius (94F).

    Posted

  • Rick_Nowell by Rick_Nowell

    2016 Population stats can be found here:

    https://www.fws.gov/cno/es/calcondor/PDF_files/2016-CA-condor-population-status.pdf

    Total world population is 446, with 276 Condors in the wild.

    Posted

  • Rick_Nowell by Rick_Nowell

    2017 Population statistics are online here:
    California Condor Recovery Program
    https://www.fws.gov/cno/es/calcondor/PDF_files/2017-CA-condor-population-status.pdf

    "The total world population of California condors increased by 6.4 percent in 2017 from 435 at the end of 2016, to 463 the end of 2017 (2.5 percent increase in 2016)."

    Posted