Latest Andean Condor Stories
Brett Smith for redOrbit.com Despite efforts to protect them, California condors are being decimated more than previously thought from lead poisoning caused by ingesting hunters’ bullets, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Being opportunistic scavengers, condors feed primarily on the carcasses or organs of large mammals such as deer, many of which have been shot and left behind by hunters who might only take cuts of meat. Lead...
Veterinary drug residue in cattle and livestock carcasses is killing South Asian vultures Vultures in South Asia were on the brink of extinction until Lindsay Oaks and Richard Watson, from The Peregrine Fund in the US, undertook observational and forensic studies to find out why the number of birds was falling so rapidly. They discovered the vultures were being poisoned by residues of an anti-inflammatory drug (diclofenac) used in cattle and other livestock, whose carcasses they feed on....
Eagle-Condor Peru Adventures trips to Peru are now better than ever, an offer the most careful examination of the Inca civilization and Peru’s healing traditions, available. San Diego, CA (PRWEB) October 04, 2011 Explore more of Peru than ever before with the Eagle-Condor Adventures expanded trip to Machu Picchu May 13 through May 20, 2012 and their new trip to view Andean condors up-close. Travelers who book now save on the company’s already low prices. In addition to its...
The banning of a painkiller that causes visceral gout, a fatal kidney ailment in vultures, has shown first signs of progress in the populations of South Asian vultures, according to scientists.But the study warns that the death rate from the drug is still too high, and that the complete removal of the painkiller, diclofenac, is needed to see further recovery of the wild vulture populations.Veterinary use of diclofenac in the treatment of cattle and buffaloes was banned in 2006 by India, Nepal...
Two new UC Davis studies add scientific evidence that hunters' lead ammunition often finds its way into carrion-eating birds, such as eagles and turkey vultures.These scavenger species often take advantage of animal remains left behind when a hunter cleans a kill or when a shot deer or wild pig escapes the hunter but dies later.However, when the remains contain lead shot pellets or bullet fragments, the scavenger birds can develop lead poisoning, which can cause inability to fly, starvation,...
The Egyptian vulture population of the Canary Islands was established following the arrival of the first human settlers who brought livestock to the islands. A genetic comparison of Iberian and Canarian birds, published in the open access journal BMC Evolutionary Biology, found that the Egyptian vulture population in the Canary Islands was likely established around 2500 years ago "“ around the same time as humans began to colonise the islands.Rosa Agudo worked with a team of researchers...
Rapid color changes of skin used for interaction and displays of dominanceTech savvy humans who use social media sites to instantly update their 'statuses', may be behaving like vultures who use 'face flushing' as a visible way of instantly updating their own status when interacting with peers and rivals. Research, published in Ethology, reveals how the ability to rapidly change skin color is a key form of interaction for vultures, especially for displays of dominance.The ability to rapidly...
Wildlife Conservation Society-led census boasts record numbers for vulturesWhile vultures across Asia teeter on the brink of extinction, the vultures of Cambodia are increasing in number, providing a beacon of hope for these threatened scavengers, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and other members of the Cambodia Vulture Conservation Project.Researchers report that record numbers of vultures have been counted in Cambodia's annual vulture census, with 296 birds of three...
A second veterinary pain drug used to treat cattle could be deadly to endangered vultures that feed on the carcasses of livestock, according to a study released Wednesday.The death toll of the slender-billed and oriental white-backed vultures has reached the millions in South Asia, mostly in India, after consuming the carcasses of sick cattle that had been treated with anti-inflammatory painkiller diclofenac, reported the Associated Press.Researchers writing in the Royal Society journal...
After being rescued, the last of eight griffon vultures was fitted with a satellite transmitter before being sent off into the wild last month from the northern Croatian island of Cres.Though the vulture seemed hesitant to leave its place of safety for a long migration, its instincts finally kicked in and it took off in search of food, reported AFP.Many European countries have seen an extinction of griffon vultures, which are now endangered in Croatia. In an attempt to stave off extinction,...
Latest Andean Condor Reference Libraries
The Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture (Cathartes burrovianus), also known as the Savannah Vulture, is a species of bird belonging to the New World Vulture family Cathartidae. It was considered to be the same species as the Greater Yellow-headed Vulture until they were separated in 1964. It can be found in Mexico, Central America, and South America in seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, heavily degraded former forests and swamps. It’s a large bird, with a wingspan of 59 to 65 inches. The...
The Marabou Stork, Leptoptilos crumeniferus, is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It breeds in Africa south of the Sahara, residing in both wet and arid habitats. Like most storks, the Marabou is gregarious and a colonial breeder. In the African dry season (when food is more readily available as the pools shrink) it builds a tree nest in which two or three eggs are laid. It is a huge bird, 59 inches in length and 10.5 foot wingspan means it shares the distinction of...
The Lappet-faced Vulture or Nubian Vulture (Torgos tracheliotus) is an African Old World vulture belonging to the bird order Accipitriformes. It is the only member of the genus Torgos. A distinct subspecies, T. t. negevensis, occurs in the Sinia, the Negev desert and possibly in north-west Saudi Arabia. It is about 1.15 meters long, with a wingspan of 3 meters. The average weight is 14 kilograms. This expert scavenger feeds mainly from the carcasses of dead animals which it finds by...
The Red-headed Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) also known as the King Vulture or the Pondicherry Vulture, is a species of Old World vulture found in South Asia.
The Cape Griffon or Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres) is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae. It is common to southern Africa, and is found mainly in South Africa, Lesotho and Botswana. They nest on cliffs and typically lay one egg per year. The species is listed as "Vulnerable", and the IUCN Conservation Status is (VU A1ade+2de, C1+2b). The major problems it faces are poisoning, disturbance at breeding colonies and electrocution. The current population is estimated at 8,000.
