Biodiversity and Species Protection
the economic perspective

Case Study: California Condor

	The California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) is part of the vulture family of birds.  This bird has been known to be threatened since the beginning of this century.  From the early 1970s throughout the following two decades, recovery teams have been working to bring this species back from the near extinction.  The bird was listed officially in 1967 as endangered.   The wild population size fell to an all-time low of nine birds in 1985, but their numbers have been increasing ever since.
Organizations involved in the Recovery Process: The recovery team assembled to protect the California Condor involved a number of federal and state agencies, as well as several nonprofit organizations: U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) - field research and conservation U.S. Forest Service (USFS) - habitat managers California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) - support (??) California Fish and Game Commission (CFGC) - field research and conservation Bureau of Land Management (BLM) - habitat managers National Audubon Society (NAS) - field research and conservation Los Angeles Zoo (LAZ) - captive breeding program Zoological Society of San Diego (ZSSD) - captive breeding program Recovery Team: In 1974, the first recovery team ever in this country gathered together to protect California Condor from extinction.  The recovery team typically consists of biologists, some from agencies, and some from independent sources. The recovery team learned (in 1984) that lead poisoning was a primary factor in the high mortality rates for the California Condor.  Lead sources in the wild primarily consisted of discharged ammunition and shells from guns. Many endangered species protection efforts include a "recovery plan" that outlines the steps required to save a species from extinction.  The recovery plan is usually an exhaustive document; however, biologists constantly learn more about the species as the recovery process takes place.   Therefore, the recovery plans typically have limited value in the long-run, although intensive resources are allocated to its production. The estimated annual budget for this effort was approximately $1 million during the 1980s. Recovery Team: A reintroduction project began in 1990, using a "nonessential experimental population".  A number of additional agencies were involved in this effort, including: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Audubon Society Arizona Game and Fish Department Bureau of Land Management Utah State Department of Natural Resources Grand Canyon National Park Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Kaibab National Forest Los Angeles Zoo Zoological Society of San Diego Phoenix Zoo Peregrine Fund

from: Snyder, Noel F.R.,"The California Condor Recovery Program: Problems in Organization and Execution" and The San Diego Zoo website: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/cres/milestone.html

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