CORTEZ, Colo.— The Center for Biological Diversity today announced a reward of $15,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the March 2024 shooting death of a California condor in southwestern Colorado. Condors are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
“It’s incredibly important that justice is done when an endangered animal like this irreplaceable California condor is senselessly gunned down,” said Tara Zuardo, a senior advocate at the Center. “Someone has to have seen something. They should step up and do the right thing by reporting this killing.”
Colorado Parks and Wildlife indicated that the bird was found about 24 hours after it was killed in a remote area northeast of Lewis, Colorado, and west of McPhee Reservoir in Montezuma County. The condor died from trauma caused by a gunshot wound, as determined by a necropsy performed by the Service’s Wildlife Forensics Laboratory.
California condors are still a recovering species. In 2022 there were only an estimated 347 California condors alive in the wild. They very rarely enter Colorado while moving between southeast Utah and Arizona. Colorado Parks and Wildlife indicated that condors have entered Colorado once or twice in a decade. The most recent sighting the agency was aware of was in 2015 near Mesa Verde National Park.
Anyone with information regarding the incident should contact the Colorado Operation Game Thief Hotline at 1-877-COLO-OGT (1-877-265-6648), by email at [email protected], or online at Submit a Tip. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also has a Tip Line at 844-397-8477 and online at Submit a Tip. Callers can remain anonymous.
Background
California condors are the largest land birds in North America, with a wingspan of almost 10 feet. They typically have lifelong mates and are estimated to live as long as 60 years. They are known to fly up to 200 miles in a single day.
The species once ranged from Canada to Mexico, but steady population declines due to poisoning, shooting, habitat degradation and other factors caused them to be protected under the Endangered Species Act in 1967. They are protected from any form of harm or harassment — killing one is punishable with up to a five-year prison sentence.
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Publish date : 2024-09-06 08:54:00
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