LOS ANGELES (AP) - A new study finds the endangered California
condor is dependent on humans even in the wild and may not survive
without a ban on lead ammunition in the West.
This week a blue-ribbon panel of the American Ornithologists' Union reported that condors are losing their ability to forage and depend on man-made "feeding stations." The birds have had almost no success mating in the wild without human intervention.
They must be frequently trapped, tested and treated for lead poisoning. California condors are scavengers and often feed on carcasses of animals killed by hunters using lead ammunition
Last year, $5 million was spent on condor recovery efforts.
Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)