I have no quarrel with the observation that those who have caged the
condors and successfully raised young from them have the best of
intentions. But we should remember that those in the Eisenhower
administration who "relocated" American Indians from the reservations to
major cities believed that what they were doing was best, or that those
who opposed the end of slavery had as one of their paramount goals the
"good of the slaves", or that those (like Alfred Russell Wallace) who
opposed vaccination against smallpox had the health of the masses at
heart. As for the myth that the incarceration was based on "the best
advice available", hogwash! The U>S. Fish & Wildlife Service opposed the
taking od *all* condors. But one day the lady in L.A. called her
Godfather (R. Reagan) and told him they had to get all those birds behind
bars. He called Ed Meese, who called the head of the U.S. F&W Service,
and it wasn't long before the traps were laid, the choppers aloft...
None of the hatchery condors that have been released to date have made it
in the wild, although there is some indication that one or two now out
*may* make it. One of the releasees actually found its way to a
McDonalds parking lot, and another drank antifreeze and died. And these
are the progeny of birds so wild, so free, that it was an exceedingly
rare event when birders could find them. Of course, that problem was
solved when the radios went on, and *all manner* of folks got onto the
frequencies. It was then that birds began "disappearing* (How well I
remember John Ogden pleading with the California Fish & Game Commission,
" Yessir, just let us get these radios on these birds, and them we'll be
able to track them 24 hours a day. And if one gets in trouble, why,
we'll just go in and pick it up.") and about 6 of them, most with radios,
just vaporized. So we'll never know if we would have any condors left if
the "final solution" had not been implemented. It is likely, though,
that some would have been left *in the wild* if a more moderate course
had been followed, i.e., taking some of the eggs and perhaps some of the
adults, for captive breeding, leaving others out there to perpetuate what
was in fact a culture. With the caging of the last bird, the taking of
the last egg, that culture was killed, the wildness was snuffed out, and
one of the noblest of the bird spirits that haunted the skies of southern
California was dead, murdered by ornithological Lieutenant Calleys, all of
them doubtless well-intentioned.
Steve Herman
On Sun, 12 Nov 1995 MWKG at aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 95-11-10 12:35:57 EST, you write:
>
> >*That* extirpation was effected
> >>by those allegedly committed to "saving the condor".
>
>
> My understanding is that from the 12-14 Condors brought to the San Diego and
> LA Zoos there are now 64 animals and they are being released back into their
> habitat.
>
> I know the decision the decision to bring the birds in from the was bitterly
> contested but the best judgement available said that without that extreme
> measure there would be none left today.
>
> I have been to he LA facility and seen the dedication of those working on the
> program and know they believe very strongly in what they are doing and that
> is in the best long term interest of the species.
>
> Mike Waller
> WP Zoo
>