hello tweets,

sad news that reveals as much about humans at the symbolic level
as it does about the as yet unknown individual(s) involved at the
immediate practical level.

regards,

Devorah A. N. Bennu, PhD
email:nyneve at amnh.org or nyneve at myUW.net
work page http://research.amnh.org/ornithology/personnel/bennu.htm
personal pages http://research.amnh.org/users/nyneve/

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Fish and Game Commission

February 20, 2003
Contact: Robert Treanor, Fish and Game Commission, (916) 653-4899
California Condor Found Dead


In 1986, the California Fish and Game Commission authorized the
capture of all remaining wild California condors to establish a
captive breeding program in an effort to save the species from
extinction. On February 18, the last California condor (AC8) born
in the wild was recovered from southern Kern County. A necropsy
determined that the bird died of a gunshot.

When informed of the tragic death, Commission President Michael
Flores expressed his dismay. "I'm very upset by this senseless
killing of an endangered species," Flores said. "This death could
have far reaching ramifications on the entire condor recovery
program." Flores also said that the Department of Fish and Game is
working very closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
to find the person or persons responsible for this terrible crime.

The captive breeding program has been very successful in trying to
recover the California condor as there are 118 birds now in captivity
at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and the Los Angeles Zoo. With the
death of AC8, only 79 birds remain in the wild.

Anyone with information regarding the shooting of AC8 is encouraged
to call the USFWS office of Law Enforcement at (916) 414-6664. The
USFWS will pay a substantial reward for information leading to the
arrest and conviction of the person or persons involved in the
shooting. Those with information can also contact the DFG's CalTIP
Program at 1-888-DFG-CALTIP.
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