Scientist’s Journal

Merida, Venezuela 9-18-97-- I arrived in Merida today to meet with Maria Rosa Cuesta, the executive director of Bioandina, a conservation organization in Venezuela. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is going to assist her organization with the reintroduction of the Andean Condor. In addition to the actual release of the birds, there will be an extensive public education program.

Mifafi, Merida, Venezuela 9-20-97-- After not being seen for two weeks, #42 male came to the feeding station today. This bird was observed a week ago at Los Nevados, 60 miles southwest of here. He was alone. We know condors can travel up to 200 miles in search of food, and we need to learn where ours are going. Satellite transmitters attached to the birds would help us follow them.

Mifafi, Merida, Venezuela 9-21-97-- I made my first visit to the paramo today. Paramo is the ecological term used for the primary habitat of the condor. It is high altitude, dry, windy, and very fragile. It takes a long time for this type of habitat to recover from human disturbance. There is a field station here run by Inparques, the national park service.

Area near Mifafi 9-23-97-- We saw condors soaring overhead today. These are some of the birds that were released a few years ago. Now ours will join them. The condors are easy to distinguish from the black vultures and the black-chested buzzard eagles by their size, white ring around the neck, and the large separate feathers extending off the tips of the wings.

Mifafi, Merida,Venezuela 1-18-99-- I visited the two juvenile condors that arrived from Argentina. They have finished quarantine and will be fitted with wing tags and transmitters. They will probably be released the last week of January.

Mifafi, Merida, Venezuela 1-23-99-- The birds from Argentina are anxious to be released. The past few days, some of our older birds have flown near the release building and even landed on the roof. It looks promising.