Episode Description
"At intervals the condor passed, huge as an ocean liner.”
Henry Miller in Big Sur and the Oranges
Besides marveling at the exceptional beauty and almost mysterious power of these amazing birds Joe Burnett and I discuss work in Big Sur and Monterey.
We talk about the rebuilding of the Ventana Wildlife Sanctuary after the 2020 Dolan Fire, how the sanctuary supports releasing, feeding, monitoring and recapturing condors to test for lead poisoning—the leading mortality threat—using radio and GPS transmitters to track a flock of 113 birds, including wild-born untagged chicks.
VWS outreach now centers on getting ranchers and hunters to switch to non-lead ammunition, which the program helps by providing free ammo, though non-lead .22 availability is a major hurdle.
Joe describes vaccinating about 90% of the population against highly pathogenic avian influenza, ongoing disease and blood-lead testing, wildfire impacts, public engagement while tracking birds, and resources and documentaries available through the organization’s website.
Thanks for listening!
Magnus
The beautiful documentary Condor Canyon
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This podcast is a production of the Henry Miller Memorial Library with support from The Arts Council for Monterey County!
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magnus@henrymiller.org
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