California Condor Decline

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The California Condor, the largest bird in North America, has been on the decline since the end of the ice age. The California Condors wingspan is as tall as an NBA basketball hoop, weighing about 20 pounds. However, they are susceptible to pollution, poaching, habitat loss, and over-hunting. The California Condor is a crucial part of the North American Western ecosystem, they are scavengers (earth's garbage collector) which means they eat animal carcasses. They are vital in stopping the spread of diseases, and they limit the amount of harmful substances from the environment. To start, pollution is a major factor in the decline of the California Condors. A major factor in the decline of the California Condors is pollution. This can be caused …show more content…

During the Ice Age, North America was inhabited by larger animals. These animals, like the mammoth and saber tooth tiger, are a lot bigger than modern day animals. These animals allowed the condors to have a more plentiful food source than they do now. They also have moved to the west of America due to people moving to America during the colonization of the Americas. Furthermore, the U. S. The National Park Service emphasizes that “The California condor was found all across North America during the last Ice Age where they scavenged the remains of large animals such as mammoths. When these large animals died out at the end of the Ice Age, the range of the California condor shrank to the Southwest and the Pacific coast where they were still able to find enough carrion to sustain themselves. Today, the California condor is critically endangered.” (“California Condor Fossil (U.S. National Park Service)”) The end of the ice and the expansion of humans across America, has resulted in the decline of the condor …show more content…

The end of lead ammunition and pollution is vital and a continuation of the captive breeding program that has been in place since 1982. If we use alternative ammunition and implement a more controlled hunting program, the condors will not be as threatened. We can also eliminate micro trash by picking it up when we see it. U. S. The Fish and Wildlife Service states that “Hunting, when done with non-lead ammunition, benefits condors and assists in their recovery by providing additional food sources (unrecovered animals and gut piles). Lead ammunition affects the health of wildlife and humans. Condors will remain an endangered species until the lead threat is addressed. Reducing and eventually eliminating the use of lead ammunition is an essential step in condor recovery.” (“California Condor Recovery Program | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service”). Unless we don’t make some changes, the condors will continue to be threatened. We have taken lead out of gasoline and paint, so ammunition should not be a problem. In conclusion, California condos have been on the decline for a very long time. But with our help, we can combat the extinction process by improving on already implemented standards. California Condors are North America's trash collectors, they eat animal carcasses. This prevents the spread of diseases to animals and people. California Condors are extremely important to

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