加利福尼亞禿鷹的出生是一個里程碑，我們有圖片來證明這一點

加利福尼亞禿鷹的出生是一個里程碑，我們有圖片來證明這一點

The condor may be to California what the bald eagle is to America: a high-flying symbol of strength and independence — with a bit of a weird streak.

禿鷹之于加州，就像禿鷹之于美國一樣:象征著力量和獨立高飛——帶著一點怪異的條紋。

Biologists captured this 'precious' photo of the condor nest after scaling a nearby cliff. (Photo: National Park Service)

But for a while, it seemed this breathtaking bird would fade forever into the California sunset.

但有一段時間，這只令人驚嘆的鳥似乎將永遠消失在加州的夕陽中。

By 1982, the ravages of hunting, habitat encroachment and lead poisoning had reduced their numbers to a mere 22. That spelled the end of independence for these raptors. Five years later, the last of their kind were living in the Peregrine Fund's captive breeding program.

1982年，由于狩獵、棲息地侵蝕和鉛中毒的破壞，它們的數(shù)量已經減少到只有22只。這意味著這些猛禽的獨立時代結束了。五年后，它們中的最后一種生活在Peregrine基金的圈養(yǎng)繁殖計劃中。

It was a necessary measure — and, ultimately, a successful one. Now, the population has reached more than 500 individuals, with more than half of them living in the wild. A species that had once called much of North America home has begun to spread its wings again.

這是一項必要的措施，最終也是一項成功的措施?，F(xiàn)在，該種群已經達到500多只，其中一半以上生活在野外。曾經將北美大部分地區(qū)視為家園的物種現(xiàn)在又開始展翅飛翔。

Condors are the hermits of the bird kingdom, often nesting on solitary peaks. (Photo: National Park Service)

Indeed, biologists had to sleuth out their presence, often casing their rocky and remote neighborhoods for signs of new family members..

事實上，生物學家不得不偵察它們的存在，經常在多巖石的偏遠地區(qū)尋找它們新家庭成員的蹤跡。

Ultimately, a condor couple — designated 409 and 523 — gave themselves away when they started taking turns leaving the nest for food.

最后，一對被命名為409和523的禿鷹夫婦在開始輪流離開巢穴覓食時，暴露了自己。

In the end, scientists had to scale a cliff across from the family's cave to finally get photographic proof that baby 1,000 was officially in the world.

最后，科學家們不得不爬過家族洞穴對面的懸崖，最終獲得了1000個嬰兒正式出生的照片證據。

"When we confirmed it … it was just this feeling of overwhelming joy," Stroud-Settles told The Guardian.

“當我們確認這一消息時……這是一種壓倒一切的喜悅之情，”斯特勞-安頓斯告訴《衛(wèi)報》。

And the baby designated 1,001? That squeaking bundle of feathers has already been confirmed, born to parents bred in captivity at the Grand Canyon.

那孩子的名字是1001，這堆吱吱作響的羽毛已經得到證實，它們的父母是在大峽谷人工飼養(yǎng)長大的。

With their numbers surging beyond 500, the California condor has come a long way since the early 1980s. (Photo: National Park Service)

Still, it isn't all blue skies for the California condor. Classified as critically endangeredon IUCN's Red List, these raptors rely on dedicated conservation efforts.

不過，加州禿鷹的天空并不都是藍色的。在世界自然保護聯(lián)盟的紅色名單上，這些猛禽被列為極度瀕危物種。