Introduction
During the third day of our trip, we visited a center that is part of the Condor Huasi Project at Hacienda Zuleta and that works to conserve the shrinking condor population. The biologist at the center explained the tragic story of the Andean condor as well as other condor species in different countries. We hope that as you read about these majestic birds, you consider contributing to conservation efforts.
The Present
The conservation program has five destinations in Ecuador. Biologists like the one we met work at them alongside zookeepers, who maintain the facilities by cleaning the cages and feeding the birds. Each of the cages at the center we visited includes a couple and its babies. The center rescued these birds from houses in which they were shot, captured, etc. Some of the birds still contain bullets.
Mating Efforts
The adult birds were rescued in the 1990s with the plan of pairing them up and releasing their babies. However, the birds have not been released because the outside world is too dangerous and there is a breeding problem. The center contains the only 20 breeding pairs in Ecuador, for the incompatible couples in the other centers will not produce offspring. Condors are monogamous, or have one partner for life, and are selective, so creating suitable matches is difficult. Every two-to-three years, males and females are transferred between centers to see which condors are in love.
Once a breeding pair has formed, it lays one egg, which is around the size of a potato, every other year. Baby condors are initially very small, but they grow rapidly and become large after around eight months. At first, condors are brown, and it takes eight years for them to transition to adulthood, which comes with black-and-white coloration.
The Arduous Road to Improvement
Now, worldwide, 200 birds, including 50 pairs, reside in conservation centers, and 25 chicks are born into them every year. Conservation programs are making a positive impact by removing condors from the dangers beyond their cages and restoring their population through breeding. However, this progress occurred over almost 50 years; although Ecuador recently began its conservation efforts in 2009, the US and Europe started in 1982 and 1978 respectively. It also required substantial funding, but, unlike in the US, Ecuadorian centers do not receive any money from the state.
Why is the Outside World Dangerous for Condors?
Condors’ second largest threat is hunting, for it is illegal in Ecuador, while poisoning is the primary issue. Argentina tried to control the selling and use of pesticides that poison condors but, according to the biologist, to no avail. To poison condors, people add pesticides to cow carcasses. This approach is more destructive than hunting because it kills multiple condors simultaneously even when dogs or other animals are the intended targets. Beyond Ecuador, in places such as Mexico and Patagonia, there is a significant dog problem. As their populations grow, dogs, killing both wildlife and domestic animals in the countryside, become wolfish again.
Although poisoning is poorly monitored, condors’ feathers are protected. You cannot possess condor feathers without official authorization, as is the case with any protected bird. Conservationists do not want to encourage locals to kill the birds by suggesting there is a potential business in selling the feathers to tourists. Indigenous peoples and some shamans have special authorization from the state, though.
There are a few reasons why condors are targeted. A very rare situation is that people desire condors as trophies, for they are big birds and are Ecuador’s national bird. More commonly, the feathers are used by shamans and to make flutes that are believed to have curative properties. To obtain these feathers, the birds must be killed. But what is the main reason for condors’ mistreatment? The answer lies in the past.
The Past
Natives used to worship the Andean condor, but perceptions of the bird changed when the Europeans arrived. After settlers introduced cattle to Ecuador, farmers often thought that vultures had killed their livestock when they saw carcasses. Additionally, the condor was believed to serve critical roles, such as the messenger of the gods and the link between the earth and sky, but the Europeans wanted locals to be devout Christians.
What Did the Europeans Do to Convert Locals?
The Europeans created legends and superstitions about condors taking calves and young girls. Gradually, the auspicious legends were supplanted by ominous ones. Condors became a bad omen that signified bad luck and death. Village elders, in particular, still believe these tales. Cartoons and comics continue to portray vultures, which condors are, as waiting eagerly to attack when you die. Even corrupt politicians are called vultures, a fact that emphasizes the negative connotation the animal’s name carries.
Are the Negative Legends Accurate in Any Way?
There are very rare cases of condors killing other organisms. Since they are vultures, they eat carcasses. In other words, they feed on dead animals instead of hunting. However, if large vultures are starving, they hunt newborn calves, lambs, or even mares out of desperation.
Hunters such as eagles, hawks, falcons, kites, and owls have strong, curved talons to grab prey. However, vultures do not need such claws because their food is already dead. Their claws do not even flex. Thus, the legends about condors stealing young girls and frequently taking live calves cannot be true. Overall, condors’ role in nature is cleaning up, a useful, not violent, purpose.
Where Are Vultures Found?
The Andes
There are six species of vultures in Ecuador, one of which is the Andean condor. This species is located all along the Andes but mostly resides in Peru, Chile, and Argentina. The largest population is in Patagonia. Ecuador is the smallest Andean country, so there is no space for thousands of condors. Another consequence of Ecuador’s small size is that its human population density is the highest in South America and double that of the US at 70 people per square kilometer. Humans encroach upon condors’ territory and thus drive them further to extinction.
The US
In the US, there are three types of vultures: the California condor, turkey vulture, and black vulture. Although all three are endangered, the California condor (found in California, Utah, and Arizona) is the most at risk.
India
India also has vultures although it lost between 95 and 99% of them in the last three years. There were millions, and now there are thousands. Without a sufficient number of vultures to clean the dead cows and dogs, rotting carcasses have accumulated and contaminated water, spread diseases, and attracted flies. The populations of rats and dogs have skyrocketed due to the lack of competition, and these animals also spread diseases. Healthcare aimed at combatting these popularized pathogens has cost the Indian government $13 billion.
Africa
All African vultures are endangered. Africa lost 1,000 vultures in mere months because the birds gathered on poisoned buffalo and elephant carcasses. On this continent, ranchers follow vultures to find more to kill.
The Future
The estimated number of condors left in the world is between roughly 6,000 and 10,000, which may sound like a lot but is not in reality. The reason behind the conservation program in Ecuador is that there are only around 150 condors in the country. Ecuador lost at least 15 condors to poisoning in 2018, 10% of the national population. Although there are more birds in the south, two years ago in Bolivia, one poisoned cow carcass killed 35 condors, and three years ago in Argentina, two poisoned cow carcasses killed around 105 to 107 birds. Evidently, the dwindling condor population is a pressing issue.
Conservation centers must create a more robust captive population so that the offspring of the current babies can be released. If future generations of condors will be released, younger and future generations of humans must be educated on the importance of conserving them.
What is the One Action You Could Take to Help?
Be the change you want to see! As mentioned, Ecuadorian conservation centers do not receive any money from the state. In fact, the condors belong to Ecuador, so the centers have to pay the state and renew authorization annually. Thus, please donate to the Condor Huasi Project at Hacienda Zuleta. By staying at the Hacienda, each visitor automatically donates $7 to the foundation. Also, spread the word about the importance of conserving vultures and disprove their violent nature. Although this post provides an overview of the biologist’s presentation, pay a visit to a center either in Ecuador or another country. Encourage your friends to do the same, and use social media to share what you learned.
Sources
- Thank you to our Abercrombie & Kent guide in mainland Ecuador and the biologist at the condor center for sharing the information upon which this post is based.
- Feature image: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/world/americas/pitting-heaven-and-earth-in-a-fierce-andean-rite.html