reserch paper

California condor

California condor is one of the endangered birds in the world. Condor has a great capacity for flying. Condor is also famous in California. California condor has a lot of problems. It plays an essential role to maintain an ecosystem. The condor is an omnivorous bird so he eats insects. In this way, condor helps farmers’ crops. According to history, people used condor feathers for decoration purpose. Hunters sold his feathers to earn money. At one time, condors’ population was really decreased. It may disappear from California. Some researchers used a captive breeding program and preserved California condor. According to Lead Poisoning, Lead bullets were common in the past also. People have known lead bullets since 2000 year. After a 20-year- effort to bring California condor back, now the again lead bullet problem continues and is the biggest threat for condor (Toones, 2008). Now, we have enough population of condors. Lead bullet is the major problem for condor. According to, Condors poisoned; INTERNATIONAL USA, (Birmingham Post, 2008, para. 1), “Seven endangered California condors about 20 per cent of southern California’s population - have been found with lead poisoning”. The Californian government couldn’t solve this problem that still some hunters use lead bullets. It is really harmful for condors’ life. Using lead bullets can become a for the California condor to disappear. There are many other problems, such as DDT poisoning, egg collecting, habitat destruction, collision with power lines, combined with a late age of sexual maturity, etc. Lead bullet doesn’t directly affect California condors. But, condor is an omnivorous bird. The condor prefers to eat carrions which waskilled by hunters. Whenever condors ate those kinds of carrions then it started all kinds of problems. However, Californian organizers are taking seriously these this problems. Hopefully, it goes in favor of California condor. In contrast, some groups of foundation are oppose to the banning of lead bullets. So, The lead bullet is the biggest threat to the California condor.

I would like to help California condor. I am trying to help sustain the ecosystem. I found solutions which help condor. First, Californian government should launch more tax on lead bullets and ban lead bullets if possible for organizers. On the other hand, they also remove tax on copper bullets. To some extant, they also give free copper bullet to hunters. Second, Californian government should give education to hunters by television, websites, radio, etc. It is the best way to give education about condors’ problem. Today, National Geography and Discovery is most popular channels are the mos tpopular in the world. We can explain people good way. Third, organizers should also focus on captive breeding program. However, some sport foundations don’t like the new rules, like lead bullets ban. They don’t want buy expensive bullets for hunting. Humans create all problems in condors’ lives. And we can also solve those problems.

The Californian government should increase tax and make lead bullets more expensive; in this way people avoid using lead bullets. People usually choose less expensive things. If we get the same thing at different prices, we prefer to buy the less expensive things. To some extent, we never miss a chance to get free things. The California government should also give free non lead bullets for hunting purposes. We can make more comfortable condors’ life. According to the article, “Lead poisoning eyed as threat to California condor” (Ritter, 2006), the copper bullets are more expensive than lead bullets. The cost of a copper bullet is $2 to $2.50. On the other hand, lead bullets are cheaper. Hunters prefer to buy lead bullets because they are cheaper. We can solve this problem easily. Government should make expensive lead bullets and make cheaper copper bullets. According to the article, Lead poisoning eyed as threat to California condor (Ritter, 2006), “The state offered free non- lead bullets to hunters last year in areas frequented by condors. Nearly two-thirds accepted them, and condor lead exposure rates fell 40% from 2004, according to Arizona’s game and fish department” So, free non bullet can be a help to save the ecosystem. Furthermore, Los Padres ForestWatch, the author says “Bob Hattory, vice president of the Fish and Game Commission, said the science is clear. The lead bullet is killing the condors. Lead is also poisoning hunters, their families and those who eat their kill. And it is killing Native Americans who live off the land, said Hattoy to the Los Angeles Times, the only commissioner who supported a 2005 petition to impose an immediate ban in lead ammunition.” (LA Times, 2006) For example, once at the SIU student center some students were selling free note books. At that time, other students specially went to the student center to get free note book. And some students also took 3 & 4 notebook because it was free. It helps as organizers because students know about his notebook(kind of advertisement).

Second, education plays an essential role to save California condor. Californian people are educated. The Californians government also takes this problem seriously. They also encourage people to help these birds. According to Lead Poisoning, California condor Recovery Team is serious about this problem. They told people if you find any condor who has high level lead in its blood than bring him at near veterinary medical center (Toone, 2006). Hopefully, they will help to save endanger bird. Nowadays there are lots of sources, which are give our message to the Californian people. Californian government should show science and environment programs. They should also give knowledge about environment. They should show how California condor helps to and how lead bullet affects on condors’ lives. In this way, hunters get knowledge and help to save environment. According to the article, Saving the Condor; KQED- TV Probes the Deaths of Continent’s Largest Flying Birds (Fees, 2008), “Most hunters want to do the right thing,” he said, “and don’t want to drive the largest bird in North America into extinction.” ( para. 16). So, hunters want to do right things, but they can’t because of lack of knowledge. According to the article, saving the condor; KQED- TV Probes the Deaths of Continent’s Largest Flying Birds (Fees, 2008), some organizers started science and environment program. And they also launched a number of websites, teacher’s guides and attractive web content. So, people can get knowledge and help to save California condor. For example, in my village people are cut down trees for their own purpose. They don’t know importance of trees in our life. Indian government sent some teachers to my village. They gave knowledge about harmful effect of cutting down trees. Now, they have reduced to cutting down of trees.

Third, captive breeding program is the best way to increase condors’ population. We can take care of the condor. We can also give condor better medical facilities. In this way we can get fabulous result. We can keep condors away from to carrion and lead bullets. If we found any changes in condors behavior, in these circumstances, we can find a solution. We may find a effective cure for condors. According to the article, Lead poisoning eyed as threat to California condor (Ritter, 2006), “On the brink of extinction, saved by a captive- breeding program, the condor population has grown from just 22 birds in 1982 to 289 today; 135 are in the wild and more released every year.”
(para. 2). Furthermore, according to Genetic Diversity Among California Condors (Admin, April 22)
California condors’ population is going to decrease constantly. And captive breeding is the best cure to solve this problem. Also, it has a big opportunity to save gene pool(Admin, April, 22, Para. 4). So, past ratio also show that we can dramatically increase condors’ population by using captive breeding program. According to the article, saving the condor; KQED- TV Probes the Deaths of Continent’s Largest Flying Birds (Fees, 2008), a breeding program is so successful in 2000. Population of condors are enough in the zoos. Furthermore they also release some condor in the forest (Television Week, 2008, para. 6). For example, as we know farmers use DDT as a pesticide. In my village there are number of peacock kill because they ate that kind of crops. Suddenly, peacock is disappeared in my village. It affected an ecosystem and farmers’ crops also. In this circumstance, environmentalists released some peacocks in my village and ban on DDT. After few month peacocks appeared in my village.

Nowadays, shooting is one of the popular sports in the world. According to the article, Lead poisoning eyed as threat to California condor (Ritter, 2006), shooting sport foundations are opposed to a lead bullet ban. They prefer lead bullets because it was cheaper. They argue in opposite side which is harmful for California condors’ life. (
Ritter,2006). Californian government should become more strict about sport shooting foundations. We shouldn’t allow lead bullet for hunting purpose. Lead bullet creates major effect on California condors’ life. In the future, California condor will disappear in California. Today, every problem has starts because of lead bullets. Lead bullet problem starts with humans. And human can solve lead bullet problem. Lead bullet is also harmful for hunters and their family because generally hunters hunt animals for eating purposes. So, poison of lead bullet spread in animal’s body, which can be dangerous for them.

In a nutshell, California condor is one of the most popular birds in California. Past ratio shows that thelead bullet creates problems in condors life like, breeding, blood poisoning, behaviour problem etc. envermentalist and condor conservation departments are taking serious this problem. However, hunters still use lead bullet for hunting. Californian government should be become strict against them. Captive breeding program is more effective than other ways. Today, technology and scientist can be find new gene pool. It help to sustain an ecosystem. According to history, once time condors are going to disappear in the world. Scientists use captive breeding programs and release the condor in the forest. We should obey some suggestion such as making lead bullet expensive, breeding program and giving knowledge for people. So, before you go hunting, think about your family and the environment.













References

Admin. (2008, April 22). Genetic diversity Among California Condors. Retrieved December 2, 2008, from Condorconservation.
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Condors poisned;INTERNATIONAL USA (2008, June 5). Birmingham Post. Retrieved December 2, 2008, from LexisNexis.

Fees, J. (2008, October, 13).Saving the condor; KQED- TV Probes the Deaths of Continent’s Largest Flying Birds. Television Week. Retrieved December 2, 2008. From LexisNexis.

Los Padres forest watch (2006, November 30). LA Times. Retrieved December 2, 2008. From lpfw.

Ritter, J. (2006, October 24). Lead poisoning eyed as threat to California condor. Usa Today. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from LexisNexis.

Toones, B. (2008, February 6). Lead Poisoning. Retrieved December 2, 2008. From
caondorconservation.




California Condor




Krunal, Patel









EAP2, Writer’s Workshop
Thomas Leverett
December 2, 2007