The

California Condor

In what ways have us humans influenced

other organisms/species?

So, What is the California Condor?

1. A big bird
Wings over 3 meters in length
Can weigh 17-30 pounds!

2. Scavenger
Eats already dead animals
Deer, cattle, sea lions/whales, pigs, small rodents/rabbits.

3. Looks
Big black and white feathers
Funny pink bald head

VERY ENDANGERED!

How it Functions
No sense of smell to help scavenge
Recycles carrion into nutrients

No Simple Birds...
New World Vulture
Same as Andean condor and
Sympatric Turkey Vulture
Evolved in biodiverse
California for millions of
years.
Largest bird in North
America.

A Loooong Time Ago...

Ice Age
40,000 years ago
Ate big mammals
Population declined upon others extinction
Holocene
11,700 years ago
Evolved smaller - used to be even bigger!
Last of Gymnogyps species
Used to be everywhere across Americas!

Fun Facts

Condors do not have vocal chords.

Self-defecate to cool body temperature.
Show emotion/mate by changing skin color.
Throws up when scared.

Looking into the Future

Very low population drop in 1980s
Multiple captive-breeding program
Peregrine Fund
San Diego Zoo
Los Angeles Zoo

Endangered to threatened in 2020

Population: 450
3 locations
15 breeding pairs per location.

Condors and Their Environment

Connection
3 examples
Bodily
Bird for habitat
Habitat for bird

Condors and Their Environment

Lead in Condors
Condors
feeding

Condor and
chick in cliff
cave

Human Impacts and Behaviour

Lead poisoning from hunted carcasses.
Some people continue to illegally shoot condors.
Pesticide DDT prevented condor eggs from hatching.
Collisions with wires and structures.

Threats

Resilience and Adaptability

Now ~400 alive ~200 in the wild

Being taught by human
Bald head
Straight talons
for walking

Survival Plan: Problems

Subsidy programs don't work

What is Subsidy?
Don't lay eggs that often
Humans impact Condors Massively

Survival Plan: Resolutions

Create Reserves to protect condors

Natures cleanup crew. Needed scavengers.
Lead Bullet Ban. For real.
Condors receive treatment for poisoning

What Can YOU Do?

1. Tell others! Educate the public!
2. Dont litter!
3. Join us in getting companies all over the
USA to stop producing lead bullets!

Dolly, a young male California Condor, celebrating his

third birthday in the Los Angeles Zoo breeding
program for California Condors

Sources
https://docs.google.com/a/hightechhigh.
org/document/d/1mZtVM7Zu3HvzqxpGsZu1okbaFpyXOCt
axrcMRkScX0g/edit