Another Condor Chick Emerges; 3rd Since April

A California condor chick finished pecking its way out of its shell Sunday at the San Diego Wild Animal Park, becoming the third since April to have hatched in the park’s “condorminium.”

Kaduku, a Konkow Indian word meaning “very strong being,” was the name given to the new chick, which hatched at 11:20 a.m., according to Cindy Richardson, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Zoo. Kaduku was awaiting a first meal of minced mouse meat Sunday night.

The egg was laid at the zoo almost two months ago and brought to the Wild Animal Park for incubation as part of a condor breeding program designed to save the vulture-like birds from extinction.

Seventeen of the world’s 31 California condors are housed at the Wild Animal Park, the others at the Los Angeles Zoo.

Kaduku “pipped,” or poked its way out of its pale aqua shell for the first time on Thursday. On the same day, another chick, Towasinah, christened with the Karok Indian word for “friend,” was helped from its shell.

Kaduku was the first condor conceived by a pair of 6-year-old birds--Cayuma and Cachuma--that are at the L.A. Zoo.

“It previously was not known if California condors achieved full sexual maturity at age 6 or 7,” said Tom Hanscom, a spokesman for the Wild Animal Park. “It was thought to be 7, but these birds (Cayuma and Cachuma) proved us wrong.”

All remaining wild condors, North America’s largest land birds, were captured in April, 1987, in hopes of increasing their numbers in captivity. Eventual plans call for most of the birds to be released to the wild.

The first captive-bred chick, Molloko, hatched in 1988 and remains in good health. The fourth and final egg of the season is expected to hatch in early June, Hanscom said, and keepers are looking forward to a more productive mating season next year with more birds reaching maturity.

Officials at the L.A. Zoo said the female, Cachuma, previously produced another egg, but it was infertile. They admit to being encouraged by the pair’s continued affectionate behavior, saying they hoped the birds would become “increasingly productive” members of the breeding program.