The Oregon Zoo has announced that hatching season for its California condors was delightfully successful, with eight new chicks growing fast— a "...significant step forward in the recovery of this critically endangered species."
The chicks were hatched in the Zoo's Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation. This center is designed specifically for conservation, limiting exposure to people and increasing chances for the captive-born chicks to survive and breed in the wild.
California condors are classified as critically endangered. The Oregon Zoo explains that in 1982, only 22 birds remained in the wild, and in 1987 the last condors were brought into human care to try to save the species. Now, thanks to conservation efforts, the population totals around 500 birds - "most of which are flying free."
The Zoo says the chicks will stay with their parents for at least eight months, followed by another enclosure for a year, Eventually, they will travel to a wild release site to join free-flying condors in California and Arizona.
“With so few California condors left in the world, each bird is vitally important,” said Kelli Walker, the zoo’s senior condor keeper, in a press release.
These chicks are already stretching their wings and preparing to be free-flying wild condors.
More about California condors and the Oregon Zoo's conservation efforts:
"The Oregon Zoo’s condor recovery efforts take place at the Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation, located in rural Clackamas County on Metro-owned open land. The remoteness of the facility minimizes the exposure of young condors to people, increasing the chances for captive-hatched birds to survive and breed in the wild.
More than 108 chicks have hatched at the Jonsson Center since 2003, and more than 73 Oregon Zoo-reared birds have gone out to field pens for release. Several eggs laid by Oregon Zoo condors have been placed in wild nests to hatch.
California condor breeding programs are also operated at San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, the Los Angeles Zoo and the Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey in Idaho. For more information, visit oregonzoo.org/condors."