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Last Chance for the California Condor?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2009

Stephen Mills
Stephen Mills
Affiliation:
Suntrap, Forest Hill, Oxford, England.
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Abstract

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With a wild population of only thirteen known birds, the California condor is close to extinction. In 1980 only two pairs even attempted to breed. Breeding in captivity seems the only hope of saving the species, but the project approved by the Federal Government has roused considerable controversy. The author, who spent two years in California, presents the arguments on both sides, outlines the reasons why he believes the experiment should be tried and assesses its chances of success. On June 30, however, after this article was written, a two-month-old California condor chick died while being handled. In a postscript to the article Stephen Mills comments on the effects of this death on the programme.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Oryx , Volume 15 , Issue 5 , December 1980, pp. 459 - 464
Copyright
Copyright © Fauna and Flora International 1980

References

Selected References

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