A Love Story of Two Endangered Condors
By Emily Leikam
Photos by : Alan Clampitt.
The complicated love story unfolding between two endangered California condors at Navajo Bridge shows us the remarkable lengths these birds are willing to go to ensure the survival of their kind in the face of extinction — and it might be just the story we need to hear on Valentine’s Day.
Last year, the bird flu known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) claimed the lives of 21 California Condors and significantly hindered the species’ recovery, setting it back by at least a decade. This not only impacted the health and numbers of the condor population but also disrupted the mating dynamics among these birds. But at Navajo Bridge, a story that started two years ago, reminds us that even in the face of extinction, there is hope.
At first, a pair of condors, male #619 and female #775, were first spotted together in February 2022 and laid an egg later that spring. When it broke the eggshell, the young chick was the #1150th condor hatched in the recovery program meant to prevent the species from going extinct.
After months of growing up on a cliff edge, the condor #1150 made its first flight on November 12th, 2022. He had another 12 months left to spend with his parents, to learn ‘how to be a real condor’, but his mom died in March 2023, due to the avian flu.
In the face of such loss, the male condor #619 raised his chick by himself.
‘Fortunately, #619 is an incredibly devoted father. He continued to feed #1150 and keep a watch on him when he began to explore the Grand Canyon, while both escaped the grasp of HPAI. #1150 is now fully independent and able to find food on its long flights over the high desert country,’ says Tim Hauck, Project Director for the California Condor Reintroduction Program.
California condors mate for life, but the loss of a partner often marks the beginning of a quest for continuity of the species. For #619, this quest led him to #741, another female condor and a potential new partner.
The odds turned quickly against them when a health check revealed that #619 had lead poisoning, likely from eating animal remains on the landscape that were shot with lead-based ammunition. Just after he was treated and released into the wild, to resume his courtship with his new partner, the female condor #741 had to be trapped and treated for lead poisoning as well.
After getting treatment, the female was released, with everyone hoping that the bond could be rekindled and the species perpetuated. However, a couple of days ago, another condor, male #354, came into the picture and started courting the female #741. With a history of successful mating, the new male seems set on disrupting the budding relationship between #619 and #741.
This twist in the story is a clear reminder that our awareness, choices, and actions can contribute to the conservation narrative, fostering the continued flight of these magnificent birds.
Time will tell how this story unfolds, but this Valentine’s Day, KÜHL and The Peregrine Fund invite you to be part of the love story of Navajo Bridge and donate to support the ongoing work to protect the beautiful and endangered California Condor. Go to https://www.outdoorssw.com/featured-stories for complete article.
