Saving the Symbol of the Andes: A Range Wide Conservation Priority Setting Exercise for the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus)

Wallace, Robert B.; Reinaga, Ariel; Piland, Natalia C.; Piana, Renzo P.; Vargas, H.; Zegarra, R-E.; Alarcón, Pablo Angel Eduardo; Alvarado, Sergio; Álvarez, José; Angulo, Fernando; Astore, Vanesa; Ciri, Francisco; Cisneros, J.; Cóndor, C.; Escobar, V.; Funes, Martín; Gálvez-Durand, J.; Gargiulo, C.; Gordillo, Sandra; Heredia, Javier; Kohn, Sebastián; Kusch, Alejandro; Lambertucci, Sergio A.; Méndez, Diego; Morales, R.; More, Alexander Goodman; Naveda‐Rodríguez, Adrián; Oehler, David A.; Ortega, Andrés; Ospina-Herrera, Oscar; Otero, J-A.; Sáenz‐Jiménez, Fausto; Silva, C.; Vento, R.; Wiemeier, F.G.; Zapata‐Ríos, Galo; Zurita, L.

doi:10.19121/2020.report.39485

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…Since the Andean Condor is one of the most symbolic and culturally important species in South America (Wallace et al, 2020), we believe that our observations have the potential to draw attention to a neglected complex ecological and environmental issue (i.e. water pollution related to mining activities) in Bolivia and elsewhere.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Condors scavenge on fish at the land–water interface in the Andean foothill of southern Bolivia

Pizarro Ríos,

Méndez

2024

Austral Ecology

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There is very little information on Andean condors scavenging on fish. Here we report five events of condors feeding on fish carrion in the Bolivian Chaco Serrano in three consecutive years. In 2019, 2020, and 2021, condors were observed feeding on discarded fish from local fishermen, 3 km west of Villa Montes, in the ‘El Angosto’ section of the Pilcomayo River. Fishing, mainly for sábalo (Prochilodus lineatus), is the most important economic activity in that part of the Pilcomayo basin and its discards explain fish carrion availability there, while driving scavengers to feed on this resource. We believe that fish carrion abundance, the intensity of intra‐ and interspecific competition for access to carrion, and overall carrion availability hierarchically influence the fact that condors feed on fish, something we will investigate later based on the observations reported here. From a conservation perspective, the main consequence of scavengers feeding on fish from the Pilcomayo is that they could be getting heavy metal poisoning. Heavy metal poisoning is a serious threat with widely known negative effects for wildlife. Our observations should serve to promote comprehensive bio‐monitoring of the Pilcomayo basin, using approaches such as One Health, and emphasizing the importance of coexistence between humans and the rest of biodiversity, with the Andean Condor as the flagship species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Condors scavenge on fish at the land–water interface in the Andean foothill of southern Bolivia

Pizarro Ríos,

Méndez

2024

Austral Ecology

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“…Andean Condor reintroduction efforts were carried out between 1989 and 2013 in Colombia, between 1993 and 2001 in Venezuela, and during 2016 in Ecuador. In these efforts, 71, 13 and three captive-born individuals were released in these countries, respectively [ 23 , 25 , 32 ] ( S1 Table ). We found that at least 17% of the condors released in Colombia, and 15% of those released in Venezuela, were affected by anthropogenic causes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Venezuela, the historic distribution of the species was described from eight records in the Merida Cordillera and Sierra de Perijá. However, it is considered that these condors may actually have been from Colombia [ 24 , 25 ]. Its resident species status has been questioned by the Venezuelan ornithologist community, and the Andean Condor is likely a transient visitor in this country, since there is no evidence of its natural history, breeding biology, or any archaeological or anthropological records showing otherwise [ 24 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anthropogenic threats to the Vulnerable Andean Condor in northern South America

et al. 2022

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Vultures comprise one of the most threatened groups of birds worldwide. With a total population not exceeding 6700 mature individuals, and in rapid decline across its range, the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) is listed as a Vulnerable species in the IUCN red list. Local population extinctions and decline are of particular concern in northern South America, where no more than 340 condors may exist at present. Despite this, no quantitative assessments exist in Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela regarding the threats affecting Andean Condor populations. To address this, we compiled records of Andean Condors injured, or killed, between 1979 and 2021. We obtained data of 164 condors affected by different causes of injury, of which 83.5% were reported in Ecuador, 15.2% in Colombia, and 1.2% in Venezuela. Of the total number, 84.7% of the injured individuals died. Between 1979 and 2021, in Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela, at least 103 Andean Condors were presumably poisoned, 22 were shot, and 39 individuals were affected by other causes. The total number of individuals affected by different causes represents between 48% and 72% of the total population estimated in northern South America. Of great concern is the fact that, between 2007 and 2021, poisoning and shooting together caused the loss of 19–31% of the estimated population of condors in Ecuador, and 7–21% of the estimated population in Colombia. Given the important mortality induced by humans, environmental education programs, socio-ecological research, application of environmental laws, and management strategies based on scientific evidence to prevent and mitigate human-wildlife conflicts are urgently required for effective Andean Condor conservation in northern South America.

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“…The result of the RWPS was the report Saving the Symbol of the Andes: A Range Wide Conservation Priority Setting Exercise for the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus; Wallace et al 2020). This manuscript is a summary of that report.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Size and area percentage of Andean Condor Conservation Units (ACCUs) by country(Wallace et al 2020).…”

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confidence: 99%

Defining Spatial Conservation Priorities for the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus)

Wallace

Reinaga

Piland

et al. 2022

Journal of Raptor Research

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The Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) is a culturally iconic wildlife symbol for the South American Andes, but is naturally found at very low population densities, and is increasingly threatened. Using the Range Wide Priority Setting methodology, we (a group of 38 Andean Condor experts) updated the Andean Condor historical range (3,230,061 km2), systematized 9998 Andean Condor distribution points across the range, and identified geographic areas for which there was expert knowledge (66%), including areas where Andean Condors no longer occur (7%), and geographic areas where condors are believed to range, but for which there was not expert knowledge about condor presence (34%). To prioritize conservation action into the future and identify existing Andean Condor population strongholds, we used expert knowledge to identify 21 of the most important areas for the conservation of the species (i.e., Andean Condor Conservation Units [ACCUs]) that cover 37% of the revised historical range, and range in size from 837 km2 to 298,951 km2. In general, ACCUs were relatively small in the northern portion of the range in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru, and significantly larger in the central and southern portion of the range in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, reflecting the reduced and narrower historical range in the northern portion of the range, as well as increased threats. Andean Condors can fly extremely long distances and so the populations of many neighboring ACCUs are probably still functionally connected, although this situation also underlines the need for integrated and large-scale conservation efforts for this species. As a function of the Range Wide Priority Setting results, we make recommendations to ensure population connectivity into the future and engage a wide range of actors in Andean Condor conservation efforts.

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Saving the Symbol of the Andes: A Range Wide Conservation Priority Setting Exercise for the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus)

Cited by 7 publications

References 0 publications

Condors scavenge on fish at the land–water interface in the Andean foothill of southern Bolivia

Condors scavenge on fish at the land–water interface in the Andean foothill of southern Bolivia

Anthropogenic threats to the Vulnerable Andean Condor in northern South America

Defining Spatial Conservation Priorities for the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus)

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