Emily Chan
A sibling duo of California condors lived in Zion National Park in Utah, but the brother has now died, leaving his sister to soar the skies alone. Both of the birds had fallen victim to lead poisoning. The sister, known as 1111, managed to survive. Unfortunately, the brother, known as “1K,” did not.
California condors are the largest land birds in North America. They are considered an endangered species, with only about 560 individuals left in the world. Lead poisoning is the number one threat to California condors.
According to the Peregrine Fund, a raptor conservation organization, just under 50 percent of condor deaths since 1992 are linked to lead poisoning.
“1K’s death is a tragedy because it was premature and preventable,” Shawn Farry, the California Condor Program Manager for the Peregrine Fund, said. “He had a wonderful way of endearing staff and visitors to the condor and its story, and for that, he will be missed by so many who were lucky to catch a glimpse of 1K soaring through Zion Canyon.”
California condors at the park are equipped with a radio tag that enables biologists to monitor their movements. When 1K’s tag stopped moving, the scientists discovered that he was dead. An analysis of his remains confirmed that the cause of death was lead poisoning.
1K’s death is particularly sad because he was the first condor to successfully grow wing feathers long enough for flight at Zion National Park. In addition, he was the 1,000th condor to hatch since the start of the California Condor Recovery Program in the 1980s.
Condors are extra vulnerable to lead poisoning because they are scavengers. Hunters often use lead-based bullets to kill animals. When the birds feed on those animal carcasses, they risk consuming lead.
1K’s sister, 1111, was the second wild-fledged condor at the park. In January 2024, she was tested, and scientists found high levels of lead in her system. She was sent to a wildlife rehabilitation center in Phoenix, Arizona, for treatment.
Tim Hauck, the California Condor Program Director for the Peregrine Fund, explained that condors store food in areas of their bodies called crops.
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