Condor No. 286 died Monday night of complications due to lead poisoning.
LOS ANGELES: A California Condor that had been one of the first members of its species released into the wild in 2003 has died of lead poisoning at the Los Angeles Zoo.
Condor "Number 286" was brought back to the LA Zoo from its release point at Pinnacles National Monument more than a month ago after it apparently ingested lead.
Zoo officials had been working to remove the lead from its bloodstream before the condor died late Monday night. It had apparently lost more than half of its 24-pound weight in the process.
Biologists say the condor was poisoned after it ate lead ammunition used by game hunters. It's probable the condor ingested the ammunition embedded in carrion left behind by hunters.
Accidental ingestion of lead bullets in carrion is said by biologists to be the biggest threat to condors in the wild, which is why the ammunition has been banned in 15 counties known to be the home of condors since July 1.
The bird was also discovered to have had multiple bird-shot wounds on its body, though officials say these did not contribute to the condors death.
California Condors faced near extinction until all remaining members of the species - only 26 - were taken into a zoo breeding program in the 1980s that successfully increased the population enough to reintroduce some of its members back into the wild.
Condor "Number 286" was brought back to the LA Zoo from its release point at Pinnacles National Monument more than a month ago after it apparently ingested lead.
Zoo officials had been working to remove the lead from its bloodstream before the condor died late Monday night. It had apparently lost more than half of its 24-pound weight in the process.
Biologists say the condor was poisoned after it ate lead ammunition used by game hunters. It's probable the condor ingested the ammunition embedded in carrion left behind by hunters.
Accidental ingestion of lead bullets in carrion is said by biologists to be the biggest threat to condors in the wild, which is why the ammunition has been banned in 15 counties known to be the home of condors since July 1.
The bird was also discovered to have had multiple bird-shot wounds on its body, though officials say these did not contribute to the condors death.
California Condors faced near extinction until all remaining members of the species - only 26 - were taken into a zoo breeding program in the 1980s that successfully increased the population enough to reintroduce some of its members back into the wild.
