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Peru s Majestic Andean Condor
he Andean Condor has come a few thousand individuals left
to be known as a symbol of in the wild.
grace and majesty in Peru
and other countries of South The Andean Condor is the heaviest
America. Its feathers, bones and member of the order
eyes are said to possess magical Ciconiiformes, and belongs to the
properties, and it has been used family Cathartidae, the New World
by native peoples for centuries Vultures. As such, it is
in shamanism and medicine. It has considered to be more closely
inspired songs, including the related to storks than to the Old
famous El Condor Pasa, composed World Vulture family,
by the Peruvian musician, Daniel Accipitridae, which includes
Alomía Robles. His famous melody eagles and hawks.
gained world renown when Paul
Simon used it as a foundation for They live on the coast of Peru
the lyrics he penned for the and Argentina and in the Andes
song, "If I Could." Mountains of South America. These
huge birds may cover 150 miles
The Andean Condor, (Vultur per day in search of food; they
Gryphus), is the largest flying are mainly carrion-eaters, and
terrestrial bird in the Western have been reported to hunt only
Hemisphere, and is one of two occasionally. They search the
species of Condor found in the ground for carcasses of large
Americas. The other, the animals such as deer and cattle.
California Condor (Gymnogyps Their feet are not prehensile,
californianus) is considered to and thus, are not capable of
be extremely endangered. The carrying off prey, as are the
Andean Condor is also considered sharper talons of eagles and
endangered, though to a lesser hawks. Their sharp beaks can cut
extent. There are estimated to be through the tough hides of dead
livestock and deer. Carrion feathers, as in other vultures.
eaters perform an important role This is thought to be an
in the ecosystem, cleaning up the adaptation for cleanliness, as
dead, thus helping to prevent the exposure to strong UV rays and
spread of disease. high altitude winds tend to have
a sterilizing effect on the
Due to their heavy bodies, (they exposed skin. The female is
may weigh up to 33 pounds), the smaller than the male, which is
Andean Condors live where strong another difference found to the
thermal air currents exist to contrary in most Old World
assist them in staying aloft. vultures.
They have a wingspan of
approximately ten feet, and are Males have a reddish or maroon
graceful fliers, almost comb as well. Apparently, the
constantly soaring, rarely head and neck skin flushes when
flapping their wings. Observers the individuals are aroused or in
have noted that flapping may emotionally excited states.
occur only once in an hour! They Perhaps this serves as a mood
can reach altitudes of indicator to others of its kind.
approximately 18,000 feet, which
is over three miles! Andean Condors are ready to breed
at approximately five to six
This majestic bird has mainly years of age.
black plumage, with a band of
white feathers around its throat, They pair off for life, and may
and, in the male, patches or live for more than half a
bands of white on its wings. century. They breed at elevations
These white areas are not found above 10,000 feet, and lay one or
in juveniles until after the two eggs on ledges of rock. The
first molt. The head lacks eggs are three to four inches in
length and are of a pale, endangerment include hunting,
slightly bluish color. If one egg deforestation, air pollution and
is lost or destroyed, the female food and water contamination, as
will lay another. well as reduction in available
Conservationists have used this food supply (declining
fact to increase the birds' populations of prey). Their slow
populations: they may remove an reproductive rate is also a
egg and raise it in a hatchery, factor, as they lay eggs only
thereby inducing the female to every second year. There is not
lay another, which she is yet an accurate census of the
normally allowed to incubate and numbers left, though, as
raise herself. Both parents previously mentioned, there are
assist in the care and feeding of believed to be only a few
young. thousand left in the wild.
The young remain downy until Currently, Andean Condors are
near-maturity; they can fly at being raised in captivity and
around six months of age. They prepared for release into the
stay with their parents for two wild under the auspices of
years. Condor social behavior breeding programs such as the
includes a wide range of PCACD (Program for Conservation
vocalizations, pecking order of the Andean Condor), which is a
behavior, and competitions in joint effort performed by several
flight to determine the dominance organizations from different
of individual members. countries. Chicks that are
hatched in incubators become
Andean Condors were put on the acclimated to condor behavior
Endangered Species list in 1973 through exposure to adult captive
by the US Fish and Wildlife condors in connecting enclosures.
Service. Factors in their The chicks are fitted with
transmitters for tracking upon successive generations of
their release back into the wild. ranchers.
Another program that seeks to The Condor is known as Kuntur in
educate locals and protect the Quechua, which is the language of
Andean Condor is the Condor Huasi the Inca Empire and is still
Project. This program ensures a spoken by more than half of the
weekly food supply for some population of Peru. The following
condors living in the area around is an excerpt from a folk lyric
the border of Peru and Ecuador, of the Quechua people:
in order to appease local farmers
who believe that the condors Oh mighty Kuntur, who owns the
destroy their animals. They also skies
educate youngsters about condors, Take me home, up into the Andes,
discussing the ways in which O mighty Kuntur
their ancestors lived I want to go back to my ancestral
harmoniously with them, and home to be with my brothers
hoping to perpetuate co-existence That is what I miss the most, O
with condors among current and mighty Kuntur...
About the Author:
Born in the US, Laurel has lived in Peru for three years. She is a bilingual travel design specialist and has traveled throughout much of South America. She has a strong interest in eco-tourism and voluntourism and loves nature, traveling and writing. Please visit http://www.inturkuoda.com
Published At: www.Isnare.com
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