Rare Condor Chick Hatches in L.A.; 1 Dies in San Diego

A California condor chick pecked its way to life Sunday, hatching at the Los Angeles Zoo one day after another chick died in San Diego.

The chick in Los Angeles was the fifth condor hatched in captivity this year. Named Tumusai--the Diegueno Indian word for spirit or shadow--the 5.7-ounce chick hatched at 11 a.m., emerging from its aqua shell in three hours and bringing to 36 the number of California condors known to exist, said zoo officials.

“This chick is healthy and strong,” said Lora LaMarca, a zoo spokeswoman. “She got out of the egg in no time.”

The hatching came less than 24 hours after another condor chick was found dead at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. The chick, in incubation for 57 days, had cracked an air hole in its shell Wednesday and officials had planned to help free it of its shell Saturday evening, said park spokesman Tom Hanscom.

“Up until 2 p.m. (Saturday), when we found the chick dead, we really had no indication of complications,” Hanscom said. He added that a necropsy would be performed later this week at the San Diego Zoo.

Each California condor, the largest bird in North America, usually produces one egg each year. The species was near extinction when state and federal wildlife agencies began a captive breeding program to rebuild its population. The program brought into captivity all California condors found remaining in the wild in 1987, LaMarca said.

The goal of the project is to increase the condor population to where the species can be reintroduced to the wild, she said.

The first chick was hatched in captivity in 1988 and fifteen condor eggs have been laid in this year alone, making it possible that some birds may be released as early as next year, LaMarca said.