![]() In time, we hope to preserve habitat for the Andean Condor that will also protect key watersheds and maintain the biodiversity of the Amazon Basin, fulfilling this species’ ancient role in Andean myth as a symbol of health and immortality. We partner with Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment, and lead the Andean Condor Conservation Network, a continent-wide research consortium. Residents and tourists in South America are genuinely interested in saving this cultural treasure, and we’ve reached millions in documentaries and with a new Spanish-language website. The Andean Condor has advantages that bode well for its recovery. ![]() Productivity can’t keep pace with mortality, making the population extremely vulnerable. Condors are expert pilots but we just had not expected they would be quite so expert. Andean Condors need at least seven years to mature before they mate, after which successful pairs only raise a single chick every other year. One bird flew more than five hours, covering more than 100 miles (160km), without flapping its wings. These factors are compounded by the species’ naturally slow reproductive rates. Lead exposure may be another threat we found high levels in condors from Argentina. Competition for carrion is stiff, however, because of feral and free-roaming dogs. Although hungry condors have been known to occasionally kill young calves, our studies show they prefer carrion if it’s available. The majestic Andean condor is one of the world’s largest flying birds, with an 11-foot wingspan and up to 33 pounds in weight. The most significant threats are from ranchers who shoot or poison condors in the belief that the birds attack cattle. And we learned that inbreeding has not occurred, thanks to gene flow between two sub-populations. Of 31 condors whose blood we tested, all were in good health. The Andean condor is a species that is intrinsically related to Andean cultures, and therefore it has strong potential to become a flagship species for the. The Colca Canyon is a canyon of the Colca River. Together with local partners including the Bolivian Ministry of Environment, ARMONIA and BIOTA in Bolivia, and INRENA and Cayetano Heredia University Foundation in Peru, we have also launched a bi-national questionnaire based effort to map known Andean condor localities and produce a conservation action plan that considers identified stronghold populations.We gained a wealth of data from nine telemetry-tagged birds, which will help justify immediate conservation measures. Andean condor is the largest flying bird in the world by combined measurement of weight and wingspan Griffon vulture in wildness area Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) in wildness area Peru Colca Canyon, Peru - May 14 2010: The Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) at the El mirador Cruz del Condor. In this sense, WCS has worked with communities in the Apolobamba protected area to design and use nonlethal mitigation measures: registration of data and livestock protection from several species of wildlife. In practice, the predation of livestock attributed to the condor is not significant, so it is important to reinforce the iconic and culturally significant role of condors in the region, and inform and prevent damage to livestock. The Andean condor has unfortunately been persecuted because it is considered responsible for the loss of livestock, and has also been a victim of poison intended for other species such as the Andean fox. While individual condors obviously occupy large geographic areas, so far there is no information to determine the exact size of individual home ranges, which is surprising given the cultural importance of the species. This highlights the need for studies on movement patterns of the species including the size of their areas of action, to define more precisely the scale required to ensure their conservation in the region. However, it is important to note that due to their natural rarity the number of condors registered in that area is relatively low, between 80 and 150 individuals. This information along with a condor census, obtained using digi-scoping photography techniques (telescope, digital camera and adapter) for individual recognition, has determined that the mountains of Apolobamba within the Madidi and Apolobamba protected areas, are home to a significant population of the species and represent a stronghold for their regional conservation. To date WCS has focused on gathering data on the distribution of condors and their nests in the Apolobamba Mountains of the Greater Madidi-Tambopata Landscape through direct observations by local field biologists, as well as structured interviews with park guards and local communities. ![]() ![]() Unfortunately it is threatened across much of its continental range, particularly in the northern portions. It also has a deep cultural and spiritual significance for the indigenous people of the high Andes. The immense and majestic Andean condor ( Vultur gryphus) is the symbol of the Andes and is the only wildlife species on Bolivia’s national crest. ![]()
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