Common policies for condors

LAMBERTUCCI, S. A.

Science (on-line)

AAAS-American Association for the Advancement of Science

Lugar: EEUU; Año: 2010 p. 240310 - 240310

1095-9203

“Too sanitary for vultures” has been claimed as a problem for the Old World (1) whereas unhealthy food sources can be driving condors to extinction in America. One of the most critical endangered species of the world, the California condor (Gymnogyps californianus), became temporarily extinct in the wild in 1987 and was reintroduced into its former range in North America from a huge, expensive program (2). In South America Andean condors (Vultur gryphus) have been suffering different threats that have brought them to the extinction in parts of its distribution (3). The recovery of healthy food sources must be adopted to reduce several threats condors are facing (4, 5), but for that to be possible serious actions are needed. Although in North America several policies to provide unpoisoned food for condors have been applied, lead and other poisons are still a huge problem for California condors (2). Throughout South America, there is not a clear policy considering the need of healthy food sources for Andean condors, and the use of lead bullets is not banned anywhere within its range. Moreover, the use of poison to kill large carnivores which prey on livestock is also allowed in several areas, and the risk from this practice posses for scavengers is not widely considered (4). It is time to learn from other experiences, and to try to avoid problems previously suffered by other countries (1, 6, 7). It is necessary to start a serious discussion, as in the European Community for vultures (1), about the problems of scavengers in America, and particularly for the poorly known scavengers of South America. It is clear that some threats scavengers are suffering from are common worldwide (poisoning, poaching, etc.) (7), but others are specific to particular areas (8). Considering the current trends of scavengers ( 6, 7) the development of a worldwide plan for them should be considered. In the meantime, the development of a regional common strategy for America is urgently needed. This strategy should include a cooperative agreement between scientists and politicians from countries within the distribution of condors to achieve needed legislation and deal with shared problems to protect these impressive threatened birds.