Published on June 27, 2009

Published on June 27, 2009

Published on June 27, 2009

This aviary is more commonly used to study condors though a two-way mirror a small room but today it is the staging area for biologist from the Santa Barbara Zoo, the L.A. Zoo and the Institute for Wildlife Studies to examine California condors

Published on June 27, 2009

Debbie Ciani holds condor #262 (only the last two digits are displayed on the tag) hatched from the first in-the-wild egg from the reintroduction program's start

Published on June 27, 2009

Published on June 27, 2009

Lisa Cox (foreground) checks a condor's transmitter after the examination

Published on June 27, 2009

L.A. Zoo's Debbie Ciani releases a condor after the examination

Published on June 27, 2009

Published on June 27, 2009

Published on June 27, 2009

The examination starts with trying to corral the condor to a safe area in the aviary to net and extract them from the pen

Published on June 27, 2009

Published on June 27, 2009

Higher ground on perches are usually determined by seniority

Published on June 27, 2009

Simulated power line poles, wired for mild electrical shocks, are set up amongst the other perches in the aviary for aversion therapy. With the Condor's massive wing span electrical wires are a major threat in the real world.

Published on June 27, 2009

Mike Clark with the L.A. Zoo brings a condot from the aviary to be examined.

Published on June 27, 2009

Mike Clark with the L.A. Zoo holds a condor during its examination

Published on June 27, 2009

Published on June 27, 2009

A few post-examination words before taking flight

Published on June 27, 2009

Condor #262's locating transmitter can be seen over the wing identifier (only the last two digits are labeled).

Published on June 27, 2009

Tail feathers being measured

Published on June 27, 2009

Published on June 27, 2009

Debbie Ciani with the L.A. Zoo releases a condor after it's examination

Published on June 27, 2009

A few cautious steps are taken before this just-released condor takes flight

Published on June 27, 2009

Blood being drawn from a condor's leg

Published on June 27, 2009

Field testing for lead content in the blood

Published on June 27, 2009

Intern Jen Paduli (left) holds this condor steady while Joseph Brandt (right) with U.S. Fish & Wildlife affixes replacement identifying numbers to the bird's wings

Published on June 27, 2009

Joseph Brandt with U.S. Fish & Wildlife releases a condor after the examination is cloncluded

Published on June 27, 2009

A bird known for soaring on thermals this is a rare sight when a condor actually flaps its wings during takeoff

Published on June 27, 2009

Published on June 27, 2009

A small "blind" offers a close and less distracting vantage point as well as a rope to shut the cage door remotely when trapping is required

Published on June 27, 2009

A solar panel keeps the fence charged and unwanted animals out of this staging area

Published on June 27, 2009

Meat used to entice condors to the caged area

Published on June 27, 2009

A motion sensor camera records the wildlife visitors to this location 24 hour a day.

Published on June 27, 2009

Carrion inside a freezer used to maintain the condors food supply

Published on June 27, 2009

Though the livestock have been gone for several years from the property the paths worn into the hill side from cattle traversing the slope can still be seen.

Published on June 27, 2009

A roadrunner makes a fast dash across the road at the sight of our vehicle

Published on June 27, 2009

A road runner taking a brief flight to gain cover in some brush

Published on June 27, 2009

A red-tailed hawk circles in the afternoon

Published on June 27, 2009

Michael Woodbridge with U.S. Fish & Wildlife discusses the vantage point which the public can see condors flying off Forrest Hwy 95

Published on June 27, 2009

Published on June 27, 2009

Two condors soaring high after being released

Published on June 27, 2009