Condor Spotted In San Diego

[birdyland]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17983524/

Condor Spotted In San Diego

KNSD-TV
9:48 a.m. PDT April 6, 2007
SAN DIEGO - Officials with the San Diego Zoo said on Thursday that a condor flew into the county this week for the first time in nearly a century.

Zoo officials said California condor No. 321 flew along Sierra Juarez mountain ridge Tuesday after leaving a release site in the Sierra San Pedro de Martir National Park in Baja California.

The female bird crossed the international border into the United States along the Jacumba Mountains on Wednesday. Her last known location, which was tracked via GPS, was in the Anza Borrego area.

The last time documented condor sighting in the county was in 1910.

"The aim of the California Condor Recovery Program is to unite the southern region of the condor's range in Mexico with the birds in California," said Mike Wallace of the San Diego Zoo. "This first flight into San Diego County could be the beginning of the connection between these two populations."

A birdwatcher is able to easily tell the difference between a California condor and other large birds. The condor has a 9-foot wingspan and has a white triangle across the middle of its wings.

The condor was hatched at the Wild Animal Park. The bird was released into the wild in 2005.

[Jungle Jeff]

This is pretty cool. Last year i was at the Wild Animal Park getting ready for a pick up of some Giraffe and i had the time to spend with some of the curators there. The info recieved was awesome, through the reintroductions of the condors south of the border, they have found that the condors released are slowly either maintaining a territory or relocating north of the us / mexican border. This is not new by any means to the researchers but it is to the public. This is just to show that through well thought out plans a reintroduction can work.

[jimpierce7]

yes!!! Always good to hear.

[Shun Azhriaz]

That is absolutely wonderful. It's great to heard some good news about a species on the brink for a change.

[DynamitePsycho]

THat's great to hear! It's always aweseom to hear about species (avian or other wise) able to make a comeback through reintroduction.

[birdsnreps]

that is so awesome!! i hope this is the beginning of their comeback!! i would be thrilled to see a ton of them back in the states and breeding!!

[jimpierce7]

nothing quite as awe inspiring or frightening as to see one fly by.........