Female Andean Condor At SF Zoo May Stay A Bit

SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco Zoo’s newest resident is just visiting from New Jersey right now, but could end up making the city her home, according to zoo officials.

Claudia, a 31-year-old Andean condor, will be on view in the Puente Aviary for at least the next six months. She is visiting from the Turtle Back Zoo in New Jersey, and could potentially stay permanently, zoo officials said.

With red eyes and a 10-foot black-and-white feathered wingspan, she will be striking addition to the aviary.

“We hope her presence here will help educate visitors about the near threatened status of the Andean condor species,” zoo executive director Tanya Peterson said in a statement.

The Andean condor population is declining in part because of persecution by humans and lead poisoning from the animal carcasses they eat. It was first placed on the United States Endangered Species list in the early 1970’s.

Zoo officials said they routinely provide a home for animals displaced from other facilities, and are currently caring for around 50 displaced animals including the polar bear, sea lions and bald eagles.

Andean condors can live up to 50 years in the wild and 75 years in zoos, meaning Claudia could be around for many years to come.

Condors mate for life, but Claudia is currently the only bird of her kind at the San Francisco Zoo, zoo officials said.

The San Francisco Zoo is located at the intersection of Sloat Blvd. and The Great Highway in San Francisco. The phone is (415) 753-7080. It’s open daily, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

-Bay City News contributed to this article; image via San Francisco Zoo