There have already been 21 deaths of California condors from Avian Influenza – otherwise known as bird flu, in Arizona.
The virus, which has not yet been detected in condor populations in California,poses an imminent threat to the California Condor population. That's according to Julie Barnes, the Vice President of Animal Care and Health at Santa Barbara Zoo.
She said so much work has gone into building up the population, which is at endangered species, that losing the 21 birds so far is a huge loss to conservation efforts.
The concern is that more birds in that population may become infected and die from the virus which is very devastating to the recovery program."
Barnes says administering a vaccine to protect the critically endangered birds will have its challenges.
"They will test the vaccine on some condors which are currently in human care and if it proves safe and effective...there will be discussions about implementing it in birds that are free-ranging.
"But, of course, it will be very complicated to vaccinate wild condors," said Barnes.
Friends of California Condors Wild & Free have also teamed up with the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History to raise funds for the Condor Survival Fund in support of the field team response to avian influenza.
