Exchanging Ideas in Bolivia For Condor Conservation

Earlier this year, our Vice President of Conservation—International Programs, Evan Buechley, and California Condor Program Director, Tim Hauck, traveled to Sucre, Bolivia, for the 5th Andean Condor Conference and the 1st Symposium on Vultures of the Americas. Held from March 17–21, the conference united experts from across the Americas and beyond to discuss the many threats affecting Andean Condors and other New World vultures. The Peregrine Fund was also a formal sponsor of the conference, covering significant organizational costs.

Both Evan and Tim presented at the conference in addition to attending. Evan’s presentation focused on our work on vulture conservation in East Africa, while Tim’s focused heavily on lead exposure in California Condors and how we address the threat. “Here in North America, we work with state agencies to offer education and incentives to use lead-free ammunition, and also our work with the North American Lead-free Partnership,” Tim explains. “It’s not uncommon to see lead exposure in Andean Condors as well, and this was a great opportunity to share ideas with vulture researchers from across the globe.”

Tim also reports that while the opportunity for collaboration and the knowledge gained were invaluable, another highlight was the chance to see the conference’s namesake species in person. “We hiked to a remote location in Parque Nacional Curraso to view wild Andean Condors, a truly magical moment,” he shares. “To see them soaring in this pristine high elevation mountain landscape was an experience that will remain with me for a lifetime.”

The team heads home with a great deal of new knowledge about condor conservation, work that Tim says has many parallels to the work we do with California Condors back in North America. “By joining other researchers and sharing our work, we are able to keep current on the most recent research, techniques, and threats that vultures are facing. We welcomed this opportunity for collaboration with our partners in conservation.”