In early June, park staff saw nine endangered California condors feeding outside the park on ground squirrels that had definitely been shot with lead ammunition. Immediately after that, staff saw 11 condors feeding in an area about a half mile from this point, again probably on squirrels shot with lead ammunition.
Upon investigating further, staff found that there were also numerous bait stations set up along a bell pepper field adjacent to the feeding site and discovered that an unknown pelletized bait had been used in the stations. Upon talking with local workers, they found that Rozol (a second generation anti-coagulant) and some strychnine had been used to poison ground squirrels in that area. They also said that the workers had tossed squirrels found in the bait stations across the fence into the grassy field near where the condor congregation had occurred.
Efforts are now underway to trap 11 of the 13 Pinnacles condors to test them for lead and poison (the other two were not exposed to either). A trap has been placed at the Pinnacles flight pen and a baited walk-in trap placed at the location where the condors were feeding. Although the birds have been in that area recently and have shown some interest in the walk-in trap, none has yet entered either that trap or the flight pen trap.
Arrangements have been made with the Los Angeles Zoo to bring in any birds that may be in need of either surgical removal of lead fragments or chelation. Regardless of whether or not blood lead tests show elevated levels, staff will be giving all captured birds an injection of vitamin K-1 as a precautionary measure against the anti-coagulant properties of Rozol.
In 1987, the last wild California condors were taken to zoos for an intensive captive breeding program. In 2003, Pinnacles National Monument, a historic breeding area, partnered with the US Fish & Wildlife Service and the Ventana Wildlife Society to become the fifth area to reintroduce California condors. Both captive breeding efforts and the reintroduction of condors back into the wild have been a great success, raising the overall population of condors from 22 to just under 300 birds. The monument is surrounded by undeveloped ranchland and the local ranching community has shown steady support for the reintroduction program.
The monument is the most accessible to the public of all the condor release sites, and is the only reintroduction site that invites the public to attend all releases. The introduction of such a "signature species" has already begun to increase visitation, and the Pinnacles Condor Program has drawn substantial positive public attention and national press. All partner agencies agree that the reintroduction is succeeding. Biologists have tracked condor flights ranging from northern Santa Clara County to the northern tip of San Luis Obispo County. During an exploratory flight to the Big Sur coast this month, two condors from Pinnacles met with condors from the Big Sur flock for the first time.
The park has placed cameras at several sites to provide live shots of the birds to interested parties. Click on “More Information” below to go to one of those sites.
