'California Condor'

24x30 Acrylic on Canvas
 
Know in Native American culture as "Thunderbirds", these majestic birds are on the critically endangered list. Thanks to the efforts of conservationists, the California Condor (Scientific name: Gymnogyps Californianus) is currently being rescued from the brink of extinction. They are the largest flying bird in North America with a wing span of up to 10ft. At its lowest point there were only 10 of these animals left in the wild, due primarily to ingesting lead from ammunition used to kill the animals they scavaged. Now thanks to captive breeding beginning in the 1980s there are about 300 in the wild today. California recently banned the use of lead ammunition in hunting. this is a hopeful sign for the future of the California Condor.