White Oak Conservation Center

WOCC Animal Care Specialist Travels to Colombia to Visit Andean Condor Release Site

2012-01-02T16:38:00.000-08:00

Journey through the wilderness of

El Consuelo, led by Andrew Schumann.

In December 2011 White Oak Conservation Center animal care specialist Andrew Schumann traveled to Colombia, South America to visit the Andean Condor release site in Belen. This is the spot in the Colombian Andes where the two condors from White Oak were released earlier in 2010. The condor release and Andrew’s trip were supported in part by a grant from the Phoenix Zoo Conservation Fund. Andrew accompanied Dr. Alan Lieberman and Dr. James Sheppard from San Diego Zoo Global, who were there to train the Andean condor guards on new methods of radio telemetry they had designed in their lab in San Diego. Their plan was to capture one of the released birds and place radio transmitters on them for monitoring while training the condor guards in the system’s usage. Andrew’s blog describes his Colombian experiences and the connections he made for White Oak Conservation Center with the condor recovery team.

11/30: A long day of travel. I tried to hail a cab at the airport after I landed and it was difficult. There were many “taxis” trying to give me rides. Found a good one and hopped in. I made it to Hotel Ibis and I was taken back by the size of the buildings around me. I can’t wait to see how it looks in the daytime. I was completely out of breath after the flight of stairs to the hotel. I guess it didn’t matter that I was in shape, the air was just too thin!

View from hotel room in Bogota, Colombia

12/1: Woke up and hopped straight to the window- wow! A city built amongst thickly vegetated mountains? It was beautiful. Alan Lieberman had a meeting with the Ministry of Environment and so I waited for him to pick me up afterwards at the hotel. I birdwatched outside and saw a bunch of Eared Dove, Rufous Collared Sparrows, Great Thrush, and Black Vultures. I was jumping out of my skin and I couldn’t wait to see Andean Condors, even though I knew it may not happen. I looked in the lobby and saw two guys and one was pointing at me (I guess they knew it was me because I had binoculars around my neck). It was Alan Lieberman and Dr. James Sheppard. Alan was joking around and apologizing for taking so long. I was really excited to finally meet both of them. He went over the itinerary with me and said that they didn’t catch the two female condors that I helped care for at White Oak Conservation Center. He said that it had been raining bad and that the birds weren’t flying much. I was incredibly disappointed; I really wanted to see what they looked like now. Were they bigger? Would their behavior be different? However, I was so excited to be in Colombia that I didn’t mind much. Outside I met Miguel and Paco. These two guys worked for Fundacion Neotropical- the NGO responsible for the releases and subsequent monitoring of Condors in Boyaca. They released the birds held at White Oak Conservation Center. They were incredibly friendly, funny, and passionate about the Andean Condor Program. We headed off to hail a cab to get to Miguels truck outside the city. This is the vehicle we were taking to Tunja, the capital of the department of Boyaca. The entire taxi ride I was asking Alan all about the program. After hearing the details of the program, I was glad White Oak Conservation Center was participating in the Andean Condor Recovery program in Colombia. Despite facing many challenges, the program has continued for over 20 years! We eventually got to the truck and headed out to Tunja. It was about a 3 hour drive, and the roads were rough.

Alan Lieberman presenting the Andean Condor
Program in Tunja.

12/2: Woke up and had breakfast at the hotel in Tunja. We met Juan Carlos and Fausto there. Juan Carlos worked for Fundacion Neotropical as well, and Fausto was a Ph.D. student in Boyaca to be studying the released Andean Condors. Fausto and I talked about Cracids afterwards and he certainly knew the conservation issues regarding these birds in his country. We hopped in a cab and went to the University of Tunja, where Alan presented on the Andean Condor Recovery Program and Dr. Sheppard presented on telemetry. This is where I learned of the extent of ground-breaking work accomplished by Dr. Sheppard, especially with California Condors. Fausto may be doing the same type of telemetry work as Dr. Sheppard but with the Andean Condors. There were a number of students and participants of the Recovery at the presentations. I met a number of people involved in the program like Andres, Ulga, Carolina, and many more. The Colombian biologists, veterinarians, and conservationists were exceptionally passionate about the program. The presentation was a great idea- it got people interested in the program.

Training participants, including Andrew
Schumann (fourth from right)

Afterwards, all participants in the recovery program headed to Belen. It was there that we all met in an auditorium to go over the telemetry equipment, and in detail the telemetry software. Again, it was amazing to see everyone strictly concentrating to learn this software to help conserve a species. I felt proud to be one of the many participants of the program.

12/3: The team headed to the town square in Belen. Dr. Sheppard had the solar-powered GPS transmitter with him to charge in the sun. I gave out White Oak Conservation Center hats and a few tee shirts to the crew. They really loved them, and every single person wore the hats for the rest of the day. It took some time to try to explain in Spanish what White Oak Conservation Center does, but they really seemed to like our mission and what we do. After the transmitter found satellites and was fully charged, we got a taxi and went up into the mountain next to Belen to see if it would take appropriate readings. This was one of the highlights of my trip.

Working in the field while wearing hats
from White Oak Conservation Center

I saw so much wildlife and the unique ecosystem found above treeline, called Paramo, was incredible. We stopped on the top of the mountain and walked around. I was really excited to potentially catch a glimpse of a condor, but it was raining and I knew that it probably wouldn’t happen. The release site was only a few mountains away. We walked around and the guys taught me about the vegetation and wildlife. I saw some great birds, but no condors! I was happy in knowing they were out there somewhere. I was profoundly content and I really did not want to leave! Eventually we headed back to the taxi and descended back to Belen to check our readings. Unfortunately the transmitter wasn’t working. Dr. Sheppard was very disappointed, as was the Recovery Team. But they now knew how to use the telemetry, and after receiving a new transmitter they will be able to attach it to an Andean Condor and receive the subsequent data. This data will help the Recovery Team monitor the reintroduced Condors and therefore help conserve the species in Colombia.

Watching a Blue-winged Teal in the Paramo

We headed back to Bogota that evening. I felt very fortunate to be in Colombia, to meet the Andean Condor Recovery Team, and to be involved in Andean Condor in-situ conservation. I learned a great deal on this trip. It was great to meet Alan Lieberman. He is a huge figure in the conservation field, and he showed me how to inspire people to conserve their wildlife and how to be a conservationist of action. Dr. Sheppard taught me the latest in wildlife telemetry. The Recovery Team exhibited great hospitality towards me, and taught me about their country and the Andean Condors that lie within. I want to thank all mentioned above, and of course White Oak Conservation Center. I was fortunate in representing White Oak in Colombia. I was very fortunate that I could introduce the work we do at White Oak Conservation Center to those conserving wildlife like Andean Condors in Colombia.

WOCC Participates in Andean Condor Release

2011-02-03T08:14:00.000-08:00

In December, the largest bird of the Americas took flight aboard a plane bound from Miami to Bogotá, Colombia in a project organized by White Oak Conservation Center.

Two juvenile Andean condors spread their 10-foot wing span and soared as part of a successful international collaborative program that has been reintrodu...cing this endangered species for two decades.

One bird hatched at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, the other at the Denver Zoo. The pair was being prepared for their release into the wild while at WOCC. After their arrival in Colombia, the birds will spend a short period in an acclimation aviary before their release into a wilderness area 50 miles northeast of Bogota.

"For the past two years the two condors have been living in a large flight enclosure, receiving natural prey, and were isolated from contact with people, all important factors in creating excellent candidates for the release program in South America," said Mike Taylor, avian collection manager at WOCC.

Conservation Centers play an important role in reintroduction projects providing socially and physically conditioned animals as excellent release candidates.
This species of vulture is found throughout the Andes Mountains from Colombia to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Primarily, the Andean condor lives in high mountainous regions and open grasslands and feeds on carrion.

The Andean condor is threatened in its northern range and has become rare in Venezuela and Colombia. These two countries developed the reintroduction program with AZA institutions to release captive-bred birds from North American conservation organizations back to the wild.

White Oak Conservation Center Research Intern Travels to Charleston

2010-10-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

The internships at White Oak Conservation Center are designed to improve the abilities of the students and to provide students with opportunities to meet experts in their designated fields. As the WOCC Research Intern, I have had the chance to meet experts in the field of reproduction, and was recently given an opportunity to be trained by highly qualified embryologists in an assisted reproductive technology at the Southeastern Fertility Center in Charleston, SC.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a highly advanced technology used to improve human fertility when the quality of reproductive cells is considerably poor. It is performed by injecting a single sperm into an egg and incubating the resulting embryo to the stage where the embryo can be cryopreserved or transferred into a recipient. Because single cells are involved, ICSI instruments are highly complicated and require a large amount of training in order to successfully use. Under the direction of Southeastern Fertility Center’s Dr. Rodney Wade, I received one week of training for this technique in order to gain a basic understanding of ICSI.

This opportunity provided to me is invaluable as I will use this training extensively in the next phase of my scientific career. My goal is to determine if ICSI can be used to improve captive breeding in endangered species where cryopreservation of gametes can be challenging. My doctoral research project will use ICSI in multiple animal models and species in order to investigate this question. My internship at White Oak Conservation Center has provided me with the resources necessary to start my doctoral research project as well as become a successful scientist in the field of reproductive conservation.

Tigers at White Oak!

2010-08-02T11:39:00.000-07:00

What makes good enrichment for our tigers? Often, it is something as simple as a log. We took some logs from a fallen tree and lined them around the tigers’ pool. Then we sprayed them with different perfumes and sprinkled different spices like ginger and cinnamon. The tigers love finding the different scents and carry the logs off as a prize. As you can see, a 50lb log is nothing to a tiger!

Submitted by Kelly D., White Oak Conservation Center animal keeper.

How Much Does a Mississippi Sandhill Crane Chick Weigh?

2010-07-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

This little one weighs 111 grams!! Watch a video of Mississippi Sandhill Crane being weighed, and WOCC avian specialists hard at work.

During the first few weeks of a crane chick’s life at White Oak, it is checked by the veterinary staff on a regular basis to ensure that it is growing well and staying healthy. Once the chick is checked by the vet staff, it is safely returned to its parents.

Blog from Africa

2010-07-06T10:10:00.001-07:00

Dr. Rolando Quesada, White Oak Conservation Center 2009/10 veterinary resident, traveled to southern Africa for the international component of his residency.

During his three weeks there, he participated in rhino and zebra relocation projects as well as spending two nights capturing Nile crocodiles for tagging and collecting data.

While in Africa, Dr. Quesada kept a journal of his activities. Follow Dr. Quesada’s complete journey here at the White Oak Conservation Center blog!

Heading back to White Oak!

2010-07-06T10:07:00.001-07:00

We are heading out of Kruger to Tabatolo to load some rhinos to be shipped out of Kruger, after that I will be driving to Johannesburg. Then, I'll be on my way back to White Oak Conservation Center!

Thank you for reading my blog! And keep visiting this site, to read more updates from White Oak Conservation Center!

Hyenas and Cubs Video

2010-07-06T06:29:00.000-07:00

I drive towards the south end of the park (crocodile bridge). In the afternoon I come across a group of hyenas including several cubs, they are all lying down and playing at the side of the road. Check out the video!

Rhino Relocations

2010-07-05T08:04:00.000-07:00

For the first time I get to participate in wild white rhino relocations. The chopper flies the area near Skukuza, and an adult female is located. After we dart the rhino, it takes about 20 minutes for her to become sedated. We then load her into a crate, and prepare her for transport, including putting microchips on both horns.

A second rhino is located, this time an adult male. Everything happens in the same manner. Just as the rhino is getting crated, another big rhino comes charging out of the bushes out of nowhere! Everybody disperses, and then bolts back in the bushes towards the helicopter.

The pilot and capture team members freak out and go chasing the rhino to prevent him from charging the helicopter. Luckily, the rhino just heads off without causing any damage. Both crates are loaded in a truck and the rhinos transported to the bomas, where they are fully reversed and released.

We go for an evening game drive, we see a pair of lions just lying down chilling. Impala, as usual, are everywhere. I get to see a while male abyssinian hornbill and several white-backed vultures, vervet monkeys, baboons, bushbucks and elephants. The weather is pleasant. I rented a car for the weekend. I get to experience driving a manual with steering wheel and stick shift on the opposite sides that I am used to... fun!

Photos from Kruger Park

2010-07-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

We have breakfast, and do a short drive around Kruger National Park. The vegetation is dense in some areas, valley bush veld. We see a herd of elephants watering!

We drive into Kruger Park. Right in the gate there is a pride of lions and further we see a white-tailed mongoose, bush babies and impala herds. Markus drops me off in the Vet Camp where I will be staying. I meet three South African veterinary students which are doing a 2-week elective rotation.

Monkeys stole my cookies!

2010-06-30T05:49:00.000-07:00

I spent all day in meetings regarding lion and cheetah population control in South African National Parks. During a break, I bought some cookies.... but they were stolen by vervet monkeys!

In the evening, we begin our work relocating 2 lions out of Addo National Park to another reserve. The park has reached a maximum carrying capacity of predators, so the lions will be moved to another reserve.

The lions cannot be darted from the helicopter, so they had to be darted from the ground using bait. The first lion is anesthetized, and transported to a boma (enclosure). We give the lion a reversal, and the lion wakes up in 20 minutes. The lion can now be transported.

The second lion is harder to dart, so once it is pitch dark and we decide to go. A ranger stays behind to try to get the second lion. We go to eat to a nearby restaurant, the food is great. We hear that the ranger finally darted the second lion, in the tail. Markus goes to get the lion. It all finally works out!

2010-06-24T10:39:00.000-07:00

We drive to Addo Elephant National Park, about 1.5 hour drive. We drive to the bomas to see a lame male buffalo. After inspecting (and sedating) the buffalo, Several healing wounds on ventral abdomen and groin are found. We suspect trauma from a bull fight. We treated with phenylbutazone and penicillin.

We drive to Patterson towards Shamwari Reserve, a private game reserve to visit Markus' friend. We see waterbuck, brush hare, blesbok, and hartebeest. We then head back to Addo.

2010-06-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

For the first time since I got here, I got some solid sleep! We head out for a bike ride in Beachview, along the coast just outside Port Elizabeth. We continue our bike ride, about 24 km up and down beautiful hills and sand dunes. The scenery and the vegetation are just beautiful and the weather could not be any better. We come back and just relax at home, then we go out for some shopping and I go to a biltong shop.

Late afternoon we go for a ride to Cape Recife Park. The beach is beautiful, and there is a plethora of coelenterates and molusk shells washed in the shore, including abalone. We see several shorebird species such as african black oyster catchers, swift and common terns and kelp gulls. There is a light house, which was the fourth light house built in South Africa in the 18th century. We go to a nearby pup, watch some rugby while drinking some beers and then we have dinner. I order calamari, which is quite fresh and good.

2010-06-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

We start captures early in the morning and we are finished by 3 in the afternoon. You can see in this video how the zebras on the ground look from our point of view in the helicopter!

We head our way to Port Elizabeth which is about 6 hours drive. The drive is nice, the road, called the Garden Route, goes between the Cape fold mountains and the coast. The scenery changes from very scrubby to more actual temperate forest as we approach Port Elizabeth.

A Visit to Swellendam

2010-06-11T08:40:00.000-07:00

Another day of capture without many complications. We immobilize about 20 animals. It starts raining early in the afternoon, with heavy winds, so captures were called for the day. We go to Swellendam, a small town nestled in foot of the mountains. Is very nice, cozy, clean and quite. Further up there is a provincial park Marloth, with encompasses the mountain top which is about 1600 m above sea level. It is cold, but dry.

Translocating Zebras

2010-06-08T06:08:00.000-07:00

The helicopter has arrived to take us to Bontebok National Park to work translocating zebras. Winds are still strong but decision is made to proceed with the captures. All the park rangers and members of the capture team are really nice. There are a lot of young students doing their internship for nature conservation program.

The aircraft surveys the park, identifies a family group and several animals are darted with etorphine 4 - 7 mg + azaperone 40 - 80 mg. The go down quickly, within 4 - 6 minutes. The zebras are then transported in a pick up truck towards the transport trucks, were they are examined and samples collected. Heart rate is about 50 - 60 bpm and respiratory rate is between 4 - 6 breaths per minute.

The healthy zebras are reversed with diprenorphine and remained loaded in the truck for transport to another park. All immobilizations go well. No animals woke up unexpectedly.

I get a chance to go in the helicopter during darting and witness first hand the chasing and darting process. At the end of the day we go for a short raft ride in the Breede River. It is very shallow and we get stuck several times. We see a few birds including fishing eagles and several species of waterfowl.

Weather Delays....

2010-06-01T13:10:00.000-07:00

Day 2 - Because of the bad weather, the helicopter could not fly to Bontebok National Park so we had a lay day. Bontebok National Park is a small reserve in south West Cape, established in the late 60's to protect the endemic bontebok. There are currently about 200 in the park. Also, there are around 50 mountain zebras.

There is a high incidence of sarcoid in the zebras, a cutaneous transmissible tumor linked to bovine papillomavirus. Wildlife veterinarians and managers plan to immobilize all zebras, and remove all affected animals. About 20 clean zebras will be translocated to a reserve about 4-5 hours north, where currently only 4 mountain zebras remain. The rest of the healthy animals will be left in the reserve.

I went around the park with Eric Herrmann, a wildlife conservation manager with SAN from Kimberley. Over two hours, he showed me a lot of species of birds, more than I can keep track of, including: african fishing eagle, African darter, black headed heron, african stonechat (Sax cola torquatos), common fiscal, fiscal flycatcher (Sigelus silens), and many others.

In the end, we saw all 4 species of hoofstock in the park: bontebok (Damaliscus pygarcus), red hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus) , grey rheebok (Pelea capreolus), and mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra). It was very windy and a bit cool, but overall nice.

Dr. Rolando Quesada Arrives in Africa!

2010-05-28T08:49:00.000-07:00

Day 1--I arrived to Johannesburg. The flight from London to South Africa was very smooth, South African Airlines is great. I have a few hours to spare while waiting for my next flight to George; the weather outside is somewhat cool, foggy and rainy. In the afternoon, Dave Zimmerman, SAN Parks veterinarian, picked me up at the George airport.

We head to Bontebok Park. I meet Craig and Kathy, who are part of the wildlife veterinary services capture team. We stay in a very nice wooden chalet at the edge of the Breede River. It is very cloudy and the temperature is cool.

WOCC Veterinary Resident Travels to Africa

2010-05-28T08:13:00.000-07:00

Dr. Rolando Quesada, White Oak Conservation Center 2009/10 veterinary resident, traveled to southern Africa for the international component of his residency.

During his three weeks there, he participated in rhino and zebra relocation projects as well as spending two nights capturing Nile crocodiles for tagging and collecting data.

While in Africa, Dr. Quesada kept a journal of his activities. Follow Dr. Quesada’s complete journey here at the White Oak Conservation Center blog!