Condor Chick Is the First for L.A. Zoo

The first California condor chick to be hatched at the Los Angeles Zoo emerged from its shell early Friday, prompting elated zoo officials to predict that some of the endangered adult birds could be released into the wild by next year.

The 5.8-ounce chick--dubbed Kareya, from a Karok Indian word meaning “creator of all things”--brings to 35 the number of California condors in the world. All of them are held in quarantined captivity under a special breeding program at the zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park near Escondido.

Zoo officials were particularly excited about Friday’s 4:30 a.m. arrival because it raises the number of the nearly extinct condors to its highest level in about 20 years.

“It’s a gratifying position to be in,” said Michael Wallace, the zoo’s curator of birds, “to actually . . . see the condor population grow.”

Just three years ago, when the last adult condor was captured in the wild for the breeding program, there were only 27 of the birds left.

“It was a big risk in the eyes of many people but, so far, everything has been going quite well,” Wallace said.

The hatching in Los Angeles came about 28 hours after a surprisingly strong chick hatched without help from keepers at the Wild Animal Park. That chick, named Honsi, emerged from its egg at 12:30 a.m. Thursday.

Kareya, however, required assistance. “Why should we allow the bird to weaken itself when we can assist it?” Wallace said.

The chick was the third to be hatched in two weeks under the California Condor Recovery Project, which is operated with the aid of the state Fish and Game Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wallace projects that another five to eight chicks could be hatched during this year’s mating season.

“If we can count on producing the same number next year, we could release some adults back into the wild as early as next year,” he said.

Under the program, each condor egg produced in captivity is removed from the nest and placed in a special incubator where it is mechanically turned every two hours to simulate parental care. The incubation period for the latest chick lasted 57 days.

Wallace was one of four zoo employees inside the incubator--maintained at 97.5 degrees--when it was decided that Kareya needed help to emerge from its shell.

The chick first broke through its shell, or “pipped,” on Tuesday night. Zoo officials waited 72 hours to see if it would hatch on its own.

Early Friday morning, Susie Kasielke, the zoo’s assistant curator for birds, decided that the chick needed assistance. Kasielke, veterinarian Ben Gonzales and condor keeper Laurie Ahlander donned sterile gowns, masks and gloves and helped the sparsely feathered chick out of its pale aqua egg.

The hatching was completed in 10 minutes.

The chick’s sex will be determined in about three months through a blood chromosome analysis.

On Friday afternoon, it had eaten its first meal: minced mice.

“We’re all very excited by all these turns of events,” Wallace said.

He was there to photograph the event, since all of the condors are quarantined from public view to protect them and preserve the breeding program.

“My hands were pretty steady,” he said.