- Title: 34 Andean condors found dead in Argentina; poisoning suspected
- Date: 25th January 2018
- Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (JANUARY 25, 2018) (REUTERS) VANESSA ASTORE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ANDEAN CONDOR CONSERVATION PROJECT IN BUENOS AIRES, BEING INTERVIEWED (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VANESSA ASTORE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ANDEAN CONDOR CONSERVATION PROJECT IN BUENOS AIRES, SAYING: "It is a hole in biology. What has been lost is irreplaceable. The majority, thirty specimens were adults and condors take a long time to reach that age category. The biological experience that they have to learn in order to survive to have their offspring. In 26 years, we have managed to incubate and raise sixty condors to be able to release them and in two years we have lost the same number of specimens killed by poison. It really puts us on alert, all conservationists that are working on the conservation of the Andean condor because this can lead to the extinction of the species." LUIS JACOME, DIRECTOR OF THE ANDEAN CONDOR CONSERVATION PROJECT IN BUENOS AIRES, LOOKING AT CONDOR VARIOUS OF CONDOR SEEN THROUGH GATE JACOME LOOKING ON (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LUIS JACOME, DIRECTOR OF THE ANDEAN CONDOR CONSERVATION PROJECT IN BUENOS AIRES, SAYING: "For us it's very sad and very serious that we have lost in only 13 months 66 condors because these 34 that died in Mendoza, we add the 32 last year, we have deaths throughout the country and I think that the condor - what is showing is a reflection of bad livestock practices in the use of toxic baits. Placing poison in a natural environment is an irresponsible practice. It not only endangers the life of the condor but life in all its forms. If a condor arrives and touches it he dies, if a cougar arrives and touches, he dies but also if a boy arrives and touches he also dies and we are all responsible for this practice to change."
- Embargoed: 8th February 2018 17:01
- Keywords: Condor birds dead extinction Andean poisoning Argentina
- Location: MENDOZA AND BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- City: MENDOZA AND BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Environment,Nature/Wildlife
- Reuters ID: LVA0027ZM2PMR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: An unprecedented number of Andean condors were found dead in western Argentina this week, threatening a symbolic bird whose numbers are dwindling in parts of South America.
The bodies of 34 condors, 20 males and 14 females, were reported to environmental authorities in Mendoza province, and toxicology tests suggested they had been poisoned, the province said in a statement.
Luis Jacome, director of the Andean Condor Conservation Project in Buenos Aires, said condor deaths from eating poisoned carcasses have become more common as a result of what authorities suspect is an effort to kill predators of cattle.
Sheep, goats and a puma were also found dead on Monday in the same area, near the town of Los Molles.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature considers the Andean condor a nearly threatened species, estimating South America has around 10,000 of the birds. They are more common in southern South America and are now very rare in Ecuador and Venezuela.
Vanesa Astore, executive director of the Condor Conservation project, said condors take a long time to mature and are slow to breed, making the poisoning of adults particularly devastating. One of the largest flying birds in the world, condors can live for about 70 years. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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