California Condor Chick Hatched in the Wild Dies

The first California condor chick to hatch in the wild since 1984 was found dead below its cliff-face nest cave on June 25 in Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara County, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported today.

"While it is disappointing that this chick did not survive, it was not entirely unexpected," said Susie Kasielke, Los Angeles Zoo curator of birds. "What is important is that these adult birds will have learned from the experience of incubating and hatching an egg, which will increase their chances of success in the future."

"Service biologist Mike Barth found the body of the 2