The Region : Condor Egg Taken to Zoo

Hungry ravens prompted scientists to remove a rare California condor egg from a nest and take it to the San Diego Zoo. The egg was the third and probably last egg produced this year by a Santa Barbara County pair of birds believed to be the only mating condors left in the wild. “They (the scientists) had hoped to leave it in the wild for up to another week more, but some ravens are threatening the nest site,” said Jeff Jouett, a zoo spokesman. There are an estimated 11 California condors left in the wild and 16, mainly juveniles, in captivity.