A California condor chick was living a new life at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park Tuesday after being rescued from Pinnacles National Park, Zoo officials said.
The condor chick was determined to need extra care to survive by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after its father abandoned the nest after what was later suspected to be lead poisoning, SDZWA officials said.
The chick’s father later died from his illness, which is the leading cause of death and challenge in recovery for wild California condors, according to zoo officials.
Field biologists noticed that the mother was returning less to the nest in search of food, trying to take on the care of two condor parents. The chick was about a month old at the time of rescue, needing more food and care than the mother could provide, the SDZWA said.
Pinnacles National Park biologists safely retrieved the chick from the wildland park near Monterrey and transported him to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s California condor breeding facility.
He was placed in a specialized puppet rearing program to maximize his chances of survival and eventual release.