California Condor #303 aka "Lucia"

Condor #161 aka "Matriarch" Condor #167 aka "Kingpin" Condor #168 aka "Beak Boy" Condor # 171, aka "Traveler" Condor #190, aka "Redwood Queen" Condor #192 aka "Purist" Condor #194, aka "Whalewatcher" Condor #199, aka "The Great One" Condor #204, aka "Amigo" Condor #208 aka "Solo" Condor #209 aka "Shadow" Condor #219 aka "The Rock" Condor #222 aka "Cosmo" Condor #231 aka "Wild1" Condor #236 aka "Tiny" Condor #242 aka "Red" Condor #251 aka "Crush" Condor #286 aka "Pinns" Condor #294 aka "Late Bloomer" Condor #298 aka "Plain Jane" Condor #303 aka "Lucia" Condor #311 aka "Loner" Condor #318 aka "Benito" Condor #375 aka "Survivor" Condor # 444, aka: "Ventana" Condor #470 aka "Fuego" Condor #477 aka "Phoenix" Condor #499 aka "Gypsy" Condor #501 aka "Spirit" Condor #538 aka "Miracle" Condor #559 aka "Quiet One" Condor #566 aka "Mike's Bird" Condor #567 aka "McWay" Condor #569 aka "Phoebe the Forager" Condor #574 aka "Nomad" Condor #583 aka "Blue Curls" More profiles of Pinnacles Condors

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Hatchday: April 22, 2003 Release Date: October 7, 2004 Hatch location San Diego Wild Animal Park Sex: Female Current Status: Died October 23, 2009 from Lead Poisoning Offspring: none Current location: Monterey and San Benito County, CA

Condor #303 “Lucia” spent most of her time as a young condor in the Santa Lucia Mountains in Big Sur, California. She became acquainted with Pinnacles condors on the east side of the Salinas Valley and regularly traveled between the two sites. In 2009, she paired up with Pinnacles’ condor #313 and established a nesting territory there, the first in over 70 years. Unfortunately, Lucia died after ingesting lead. The lead fragment was analyzed by researchers at the University of California. The fragment was consistent with lead ammunition. Lead poisoning remains the biggest hurdle to recovery. Lead ammunition can enter the condors’ food supply through various shooting activities including big game hunting, euthanized livestock, poaching and perhaps other ways as well. In July 2008, the State of California banned lead ammunition for big game hunting in condor range. If you shoot firearms, please use nonlead ammunition, not just for the sake condors but other wildlife as well.

Lucia, condor 303, became stricken with lead poisoning while tending her chick in the wild. Lucia was captured and taken to LA Zoo, where she eventually died from lead poisoning despite the courageous efforts of zoo staff and veterinarians. She will be always be remembered as the first female to nest and rear a chick in the wild at Pinnacles in over 100 years and a true matriarch of the Pinnacles flock.

Wild Population

Field Notes

Timeline

Geography