Big Sur condor “Miracle” treated at Oakland Zoo

A California condor named “Miracle” was the first completely wild chick born in over a century in Big Sur in 2009. On Tuesday she arrived at Oakland Zoo for veterinary care. The female is the first condor to be treated for lead poisoning in 2015 at Oakland Zoo.

Oakland Zoo’s Condor Care Team examined and x-rayed her, then began chelation treatment to remove the lead from her body.

“Despite such a high blood lead level, Miracle is feisty and alert,” Dr. Andrea Goodnight, a veterinarian at Oakland Zoo said. “Hopefully, this rapid intervention will lead to rapid release back to the wild.”

She will continue to be treated at the Zoo’s Steve and Jackie Kane Condor Recovery Center for one to two weeks and will be released back into the wild in Big Sur when her lead levels are lowered through treatment.

This condor was hatched, reared, and fledged without management or intervention; therefore, she was named Miracle by Ventana Wildlife Society.

Founded in 1977, Ventana Wildlife Society led the way to successful reintroduction of the Bald Eagle and the California Condor, two of the most iconic birds in the world, to native habitats in central California.

Condors are scavengers and feed upon carcasses they find across the landscape. Carcasses shot using lead ammunition may contain tiny fragments of lead, which are inadvertently eaten by scavenging wildlife.

The public can check in on Miracle as she recovers via the FedEx Condor Cam: http://www.oaklandzoo.org/Condor_Cam.php?cam=Oakland_Zoo.