California Condor Eating Deer Heart

This video is from a remote camera that is set up to capture California condors in the act of feeding at Pinnacles National Monument. This clip shows a subadult condor pulling out the heart from the chest cavity of a deer and devouring it. The smaller black birds are ravens to give you an idea of how large a condor is. Condor #336 became ill in September 2008, and was unable to fly anymore. After being captured for examination, subsequent tests showed elevated lead levels in the blood. She died at the LA Zoo shortly thereafter and necropsy results are pending as to the likely cause of death.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Bird
• Condor
• Scavenger
• Eating
• Deer

[ScottieDM]

I've heard of the Sespe Condor Sanctuary, located along the southern part of Los Padres NF (east of Wheeler Springs). I'd assumed that was where they were.

But this video and others here on YouTube mention Pinnacles NM and Big Sur, which is much further north. Then the distribution map shown in the Wikipedia article (which looks kind of spazzy) shows them as being in the Pinnacles & Big Sur areas, and down by San Diego.

So where are these things living in the wild? Any in Los Padres NF?

[jimpus]

There are about 44 free flying condors living in the northern portion of the Los Padres NF in the vicinity of Big Sur and east to Pinnacles National Monument. This is in addition to another 35 or so down in the Sespe/Hopper Mtn NWR region.

[Entomofauna]

Is fantastic to see these extremely rare species, very critically endangered, in the wild. Is bigger the number of pelts and stuffed specimens than the number of live ones.

[jimpus]

There are about 300 California condors in the world, with approximately half free-flying and half in captive breeding programs in various zoos.

[JJColb]

Useless bird? I can think of a number of humans considered far more useless. Scavengers are actually some of the most useful animals on the planet.

[bighornsasquatch]

Hunting is not only important to our culture, it is critical to wildlife management - over the last two centuries hunters have played a key role in keeping herds of deer, elk, and pronghorn healthy & conserving vast areas of wetlands for ducks. Getting toxic lead out of the ecosystem is one more great contribution hunters can make to the health of our landscape. The condor simply brought attention to an issue effecting many scavengers & probably all of us eating shot game as well.

[TheVelociraptor15]

I love condors man they're my favorite birds. I don't give a damn if the stink or something, they're vultures for God's sake

[sammyhill69]

Yummy!!

[ARNAKLDO]

awesome creatures.

Also, those numbers in their wings make them look like helicopters

[sierracuban]

@jimpus NOT TOO BAD to have over 300 condors total as of early 2011........In 1987 they were down to 22 condors ! And all in the Sespe area of Ventura County......

VERY GOOD PROGRESS ! ! ! And to think that many environmental groups were against capturing the remaining 22.......The California Fish and Game Dept. was correct in their decision......

[420LaYzIe420]

Number 36 punk'd number 10 for his piece of dead flesh.

[MrDanny111way]

albatros looks bigger

[tyl3r70]

lol random crows

[SiruselVaranus]

@mevneutron but...it has.

[mevneutron]

@JJColb unless there are only 300 of them; then they aren't very useful,