End of the Rope
Trash in the wild kills yet another condor.
Friday, September 25, 2009
A rope left in the wild killed a condor in Ventura County, Los Padres Forestwatch reports.
Condor 358, a 4-year-old male, was found dead on a rocky ledge above the 200-foot Tar Creek waterfall in Los Padres National Forest in July, strangled by an abandoned piece of rope. It probably got curious, tugged on the rope and entangled itself, said U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Michael Woodridge. "The bottom line is pack out your stuff,"
358 was a dominant condor in his flock and looked like he'd successfully mate upon reaching sexual maturity within a few years. His loss leaves only 188 condors in the wild in California.
Two other young condors died this summer, likely from trash ingestion. Condor 503, a three-and-a-half-month-old female, was found dead in Big Creek Reserve with a gut full of microtrash. Litter is also suspected in the death of Condor 539 (in Sespe Creek, Ventura County).
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