Seven endangered creatures hatch at Oregon zoo. See one of the ‘little fuzzballs’
Seven critically endangered California condors hatched at an Oregon zoo, with a video showing one of the “little fuzzballs.”
The baby condors broke free from their shells last month at the Oregon Zoo’s Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation, the zoo said in an April 5 news release.
A 35-second video shows one of the babies with its parents in its nest. At one point, one of the condor parents moves the baby with its beak.
“All seven chicks are eating well and growing stronger every day,” said Travis Koons, who manages the native conservation programs at the zoo.
The baby condors will remain with their parents for at least eight months until they are moved to “pre-release pens” for a year, the zoo said.
“They’re just little fuzzballs now, but in a year or two they’ll be spreading some enormous wings and soaring through the open sky,” Koons said in the release.
What to know about California condors
California condors — one of the largest flying birds in North America — were listed as endangered species under federal law in 1967.
Settlers shot, poisoned and captured the vultures until the bird population could no longer survive on its own, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
In 1979, there were 25 to 35 condors left in the wild and one in captivity. Because of their dwindling numbers, conservation groups began forming to protect the animals from extinction.
The Oregon Zoo, the San Diego Zoo, the Los Angeles Zoo and The Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey help breed condors before sending them to release sites in Central and Southern California, Arizona and Baja, Mexico, wildlife officials said.
As of 2022 records, there are 561 condors in the world. Of that number, 214 of the birds are in captivity and 347 are wild and free-flying, according to the National Park Service.
This story was originally published April 8, 2024 at 1:16 PM with the headline "Seven endangered creatures hatch at Oregon zoo. See one of the ‘little fuzzballs’."
