A young condor from Pinnacles National Monument has been taken to a Los Angeles Zoo for emergency treatment after being found recently in a severely weakened condition possibly related to lead poisoning, according to a press release from the park.
On Friday, Pinnacles and Ventana Wilderness Society biologists caputured the bird, which was unable to take flight. The California condor was dehydrated and weighed only 11 pounds, well below the normal 16- to 17-pound range for a 4-year-old, according to the monument's statement.
Biologists sent her to the L.A Zoo after a Monterey veterinary hospital examined her and preliminary tests showed elevated blood-lead levels.
The condor, No. 336, was released at Pinnacles National Monument in the fall of 2005 and has become part of the Central Coast flock.
The press release noted how this particular condor had been featured in a video on YouTube, showing No. 336 eating a deer heart.
You can view video below. Discretion is advised.
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