Lead, trash, DDE, and young age of breeders linked to lower fertility in the first two decades of reintroduction for critically endangered California Condors in California

In the first comprehensive assessment of the reproductive rates of critically endangered California Condors (Gymnogyps californianus) recovering from complete extirpation in the wild, we analyzed 20 years (1999-2018) of data from condor flocks in southern and central California. We found that several anthropogenic threats affected reproductive rates: (1) coastal space use by female condors was associated with lower hatch probability, presumably due to foraging on marine mammals and associated DDE exposure; (2) trash ingestion by chicks decreased fledging probability prior to implementation of trash management in 2007; and (3) all parent deaths during rearing resulted in chick or early fledgling deaths, and most parental deaths were due to lead poisoning. We also detected several effects on reproductive rates from the complex individual-based management of condors, which involves ongoing releases of captive-bred individuals and health interventions including treatment of lead poisoning. Recruitment rates were lower for new release sites, which we attribute to a lack of individual- and flock-level experience. In addition, the number of free-flying days in the wild in the year before first breeding and in the 8 weeks before subsequent breeding was positively associated with female and male recruitment and with female rebreeding probabilities, respectively, indicating that removing individuals from the wild may reduce their breeding success. Finally, probabilities of recruitment, rebreeding, and fledging all increased with age, and given the age distribution skew of the recovering flocks toward younger individuals, overall reproductive success was lower than would be expected at the stable age distribution. Thus, reproductive rates should increase over time as the mean age of California Condors increases if current and emerging threats to reproduction, including the loss of breeders due to lead poisoning, can be addressed. Lay Summary & BULL; In the first comprehensive assessment of reproduction in California Condors (Gymnogyps californianus) recovering from complete extirpation in the wild, we analyzed 20 years (1999-2018) of data from flocks in southern and central California. & BULL; At the inception of the recovery program, reintroduced flocks of this critically endangered species consisted of young captive-bred individuals without breeding experience. & BULL; We found that California Condor reproductive rates generally increased with age and time spent in the wild. Condors also faced anthropogenic threats that reduced reproductive rates. Hatch success was lower for coastal females, presumably due to DDE exposure from feeding on marine mammals, and fledge success was lower before nests were managed for trash. & BULL; Overall reproductive success should increase over time as the age of California Condors increases if current and emerging threats to reproduction, including the loss of breeders due to lead poisoning, can be addressed.

Automated summary

In the first comprehensive assessment of the reproductive rates of critically endangered California Condors recovering from complete extirpation in the wild, it was found that anthropogenic threats and individual-based management both affected their reproductive rates. The reproductive rates generally increased with age and time spent in the wild. However, current and emerging threats, including lead poisoning and lack of breeding experience, pose challenges to the overall reproductive success of the California Condors.