[Animals] The condor, the endangered bird and national emblem

[#Steeven.™]

For twelve years the National Day of the Andean Condor has been commemorated in Ecuador.

In 2009, the celebration of the National Day of the Andean Condor was established in Ecuador. Bird that is in the national shield and represents an emblem for the country, in addition, it is an endangered species. According to the National Condor Working Group, the objective of remembering this date is to make an urgent call to society to reinforce the commitments for its conservation.

Twelve years ago, the po[CENSORED]tion of Andean condors in Ecuador has continued to decline, threats and environmental problems have worsened despite actions and conservation plans. The Andean condor is a huge bird that is among the largest in the world capable of flight. Given its great weight (up to 15 kilograms), even its huge wingspan (3 meters).

These birds prefer to live in windy areas, where they can glide on air currents without great effort.

In 2018, the last national census was carried out to estimate the po[CENSORED]tion of this scavenger bird, and it was considered that there were 150 specimens in Ecuador. Only between 2018 and 2019 there were 20 deaths of condors due to poisoning, which is equivalent to 13% of the total po[CENSORED]tion (130).

The National Condor Working Group reports poisoned condors, shot dead and threatened by urban fauna abandoned in the páramos. In Ecuador, poisoning from the use of pesticides was registered for the first time at the end of 2018, when the female condor Ami was found dead in the province of Cotopaxi. Later, two other condors were poisoned and the veterinary assistance of the GNTCA specialists managed to restore their health and return them to the natural environment.

During the month of July, the National Working Group of the Andean Condor will be sharing on its social networks the stories of thirty Ecuadorian condors that have been victims and protagonists (from 1996 to 2021) of the threats that threaten this species in the country.

With this, it is expected that the public will know a part of the history of this emblematic species that is in danger of becoming extinct.