At the Denver Zoo, visitors are captivated by Evita and Andy, two playful Andean condors that proudly showcase their majestic wingspan.
Standing tall atop rocks, these enormous birds can stretch their wings to nearly eight feet, flaunting a powerful beak capable of tearing through bone.
Though Andy’s playful antics—like jumping toward his human audience and poking his beak through the fence—may delight onlookers, it’s important to remember that Andean condors are among the largest and longest-lived birds on Earth, boasting lifespans of up to 70 years.
However, at the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance (DZCA), these magnificent birds are regarded as more than mere attractions in a cage.
As part of their global mission to protect endangered wildlife, DZCA researchers are thousands of miles away in Peru, conducting cutting-edge research aimed at saving Andean condors.
The initiative began with a conversation led by Henry Tinoco Vega, the environmental advisor for DZCA’s Peru program.
His team was already working in the Junin and Pasco regions, focusing on the conservation of another endangered animal—the giant frog.
Yet, during their outreach efforts, local farmers expressed concerns about the Andean condors they had spotted flying high above the mountain peaks.
“They told us they didn’t know what condition the birds were in,” Tinoco Vega recalled in Spanish, “and that there was no interest from government organizations to work in these areas due to how remote and rural they are, so we proposed to do a diagnostic.”
Starting in 2022, Tinoco Vega and his team dedicated themselves to studying the condors, embarking on daily hikes that could last between five to seven hours each day as they searched for these magnificent birds.
Despite the physical challenges posed by the rugged terrain, their efforts paid off as they pinpointed four key areas for their conservation work: Mal Paso, Hueghe Lagoon, the Lancari population district, and the Quisque Production Unit.
Equipped with this foundational knowledge, the team turned to modern technology to aid their research—specifically, flying drones.
Andean condors inhabit the Andean mountain range, thriving at elevations exceeding 5,000 feet.
Once a national symbol for countries such as Colombia and Chile, the condor population faces alarming declines.
“Sometimes I just sit down to look at the condors because it is a bird that represents the Andean culture, and I’m Andean, with a lot of pride,” Tinoco Vega expressed.
Listening to them fly overhead evokes a sense of emotional resonance and motivation to advocate for this species.
However, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified the Andean condor as a vulnerable species in 2020, estimating a staggering population decline of 30 to 49 percent over three generations.
This alarming trend is exacerbated by human activities such as persecution and illegal trade.
Farmers sometimes resort to poisoning condors to safeguard their livestock, while during folklore celebrations, the birds can become targets of mistreatment.
In addition, fatalities occur when condors collide with electrical and telecommunication infrastructure, further hindering their population.
As their habitat shrinks due to agricultural expansion, competition with the American black vulture simultaneously undermines their survival.
Recognizing the potential for drones to revolutionize their conservation work, the DZCA team attended the Drone and Robotics Summit in Texas in 2022.
Tinoco Vega remarked, “We started looking into how technology could be tied with biodiversity conservation or how technology could help us get closer to the species.”
While prior research successfully employed drones for studying flamingos and penguins, the application in condor research was uncharted territory.
An anonymous donor at the summit generously gifted the team a remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS), allowing them to explore areas difficult to access on foot and perhaps even locate condor nests.
Finding nests would signal a thriving condor population in the regions under examination, validating DZCA’s conservation strategies in the area.
In preparation, Tinoco Vega and his team sought out necessary licenses for drone operation, a straightforward task compared to the challenges that lay ahead.
The real hurdle was establishing a method to utilize the drones for documenting and counting the condor population without disturbing the birds.
Historically, no one had attempted condor research using drones, leading to a slow experimentation phase for Tinoco Vega.
He began by testing the operational heights and distance capabilities of the RPAS while ensuring adherence to Peru’s drone regulations.
Next, he analyzed methodologies used by researchers Diego Gallego and Jose H. Sarasola, who had successfully flown drones to document breeding raptors in Argentina.
They discovered that a proximity of 32 feet from the raptor was manageable, prompting Tinoco Vega to adapt this distance for the larger and noisier condors.
Eventually, they settled on a working distance of 65 feet from the birds, watching through binoculars for signs of agitation or discomfort.
In November, the team deployed the drone for the first time, documenting defecation and feeding behavior at the four selected locations.
These observations indicated promising signs for conservation initiatives within Junin and Pasco.
On the fifth day of their census, an unexpected yet thrilling discovery awaited Tinoco Vega while reviewing drone-captured images.
Amid a collection of photos showcasing 11 condors—seven adults and four juveniles, including a courting pair—he noticed a peculiar spot.
Zooming in, he realized they had unintentionally documented a chick, a monumental revelation complemented by the discovery of a nearby nest.
This finding marks only the fourth time that an Andean condor chick and nest have ever been documented in Peru, and the first instance accomplished with drone technology.
In light of this exciting development, Tinoco Vega and his team are now formulating a comprehensive conservation strategy for the identified condor regions based on findings from 2022 and 2024 censuses.
Their agenda will involve collaboration with local farming communities and educational workshops designed to protect the condors while minimizing habitat disruption.
Another census is scheduled for August, aimed at continuing condor population monitoring and gathering further insights into their behaviors and ecological contributions.
Tinoco Vega shared, “For us, the reception and interest we have received from these communities is beautiful.
Many times it is them who say that if the condor comes and takes an animal, it is okay because it is a tribute for the condor.”
The communities exhibit a deep respect for these birds, recognizing the condor as an integral part of their cultural identity.
image source from：denverite
