Oregon Zoo hatches a condor chick, loses another
The Portland Oregonian reports that the Oregon Zoo's California condor breeding season ended with good news and bad.
Tuesday, keepers celebrated the arrival of spring's fifth and final hatchling. Wednesday, they mourned the loss of another -- an ailing month-old chick that died during emergency surgery. Because California condors are critically endangered, each hatch brings the species closer to recovery, and each loss is keenly felt, said Shawn St. Michael, the zoo's condor curator.
Only about 300 of the huge, prehistoric-looking birds exist today. The chick that died had a tough go from the start.
The Oregon Zoo's program, which is off-limits to the public because of the birds' fragile status, has produced 15 eggs since it was established. The bird above will serve as foster father to the chick that hatched Tuesday.
In the meantime, the Associated Press reports that three endangered California condors were returned to the wild Friday after undergoing treatment at the Los Angeles Zoo for lead poisoning.
Photo: Michael Durham/Oregon Zoo
