Threats to California Condors

Humans pose the greatest threat to condors. When we build housing developments and other projects we destroy condor habitat. These big birds also get snagged in our power lines and get into our trash where they choke on small objects or accidentally drink poisons like motor oil or antifreeze. Some people even shoot condors, even though it’s been illegal to do so for many years. And being scavengers, condors sometimes eat dead animals left behind by human hunters or poachers and then die of poisoning from the lead ammunition used to make the kill.