Ventana Wildlife Society
Encyclopedia
Ventana Wildlife Society (VWS) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1977 by a group of private citizens to restore endangered species native to central California
. VWS has five full-time staff biologists, together with seasonal interns, monitoring, tracking and researching endangered species, songbirds and butterflies. Educational science programs for school children - offered in a variety of Central Coast locations - bring youth in touch with nature in their own neighborhoods, or through summer science camps.
.
1982: VWS introduced a prairie
and peregrine falcon
release program.
1986: VWS began a bald eagle
restoration project to reintroduce bald eagles after an absence of 60 years from the region. In only 10 years, VWS achieved success. In 2007, the bald eagle was officially declared recovered and delisted from the Endangered Species Act
(ESA).
1992: The Ventana Wildlife Society Research and Education Center opened in Andrew Molera State Park
, off scenic Highway 1
, Big Sur
. The primary purpose of this new facility is to increase public outreach efforts and to expand programs to include environmental education and habitat restoration. A purpose-built bird banding lab creates an opportunity to undertake much needed song bird research.
1996: VWS was commended by the California State Senate for its distinguished record of serving the recovery needs of Central Coast endangered species and for instilling a sense of stewardship for the environment through direct educational experience.
1997: VWS joined federal and state efforts to reintroduce the California Condor
and is the only non-profit releasing condors in California.
2009: VWS Discovery Center opened in Big Sur. The center currently features a special exhibition, "Bringing the Condors Home".
In 1987 the last of the wild free-flying condors was taken from the wild to became part of a captive breeding program. From a population perhaps numbering thousands across the U.S., the last surviving 27 birds were removed to prevent extirpation in California. Decades of shooting, environmental degradation and lead poisoning had reduced the population to an unviable number that most likely would not survive to the new millennium without this urgent, and at times controversial, intervention.
In 1997, VWS began releasing captive-bred condors in Big Sur with great success and in 2003 initiated a second release site at Pinnacles National Monument
in collaboration with the National Park Service
.
All of the free-flying birds are tagged and can be tracked via radio transmitter or GPS. VWS has created a website where one can learn more about the varied personalities of each of the birds of the Big Sur flock, and a blog where readers can follow the work of the biologists as they study the condors and monitor nests and condor chicks.
In 2007, the first condor chick hatched in the wild (in Monterey County
) in 100 years.
At the end of 2007, the California Fish and Game Commission voted to adopt regulations to restrict the use of lead
bullets within the range of the California Condor and to implement AB 821, legislation signed earlier that year.
In 2009, 42 condors were reported free-flying in central California. With five chicks set to fledge, this was one of the best years for the Central Coast population. But California condors continue to be plagued with lead poisoning, micro-trash ingestion, and DDT residues, which all are seriously hampering the long-term recovery of the species.
Central California
Central California, sometimes referenced as Mid-State, is an area of California south of the San Francisco Bay Area and north of Southern California...
. VWS has five full-time staff biologists, together with seasonal interns, monitoring, tracking and researching endangered species, songbirds and butterflies. Educational science programs for school children - offered in a variety of Central Coast locations - bring youth in touch with nature in their own neighborhoods, or through summer science camps.
Mission
The mission of Ventana Wildlife Society is "Conserving Native Wildlife and Their Habitats". There are over 130 endangered species in California and many others that are threatened with extinction.Programs
VWS has four primary areas of focus:- Species Recovery: endangered species, including the California CondorCalifornia CondorThe California Condor is a New World vulture, the largest North American land bird. Currently, this condor inhabits only the Grand Canyon area, Zion National Park, and coastal mountains of central and southern California and northern Baja California...
and bald eagleBald EagleThe Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle... - Conservation Ecology: research, assessment and monitoring of songbirdSongbirdA songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds . Another name that is sometimes seen as scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin oscen, "a songbird"...
s and monarch butterflies - Education and Outreach: environmental education
- Habitat Restoration: rebuilding of lost habitats.
History
In 1977, the Ventana Wilderness Society began by rehabilitating and releasing wildlife at a 240 acre (0.9712464 km²) remote site in the Ventana WildernessVentana Wilderness
The Ventana Wilderness of Los Padres National Forest is a Federally designated wilderness area located in the Santa Lucia Mountains along the Central Coast of California. This wilderness was established in 1969 when the Ventana Wilderness Act abolished the Ventana Primitive Area and replaced it...
.
1982: VWS introduced a prairie
Prairie Falcon
The Prairie Falcon is a medium-sized falcon of western North America.It is about the size of a Peregrine Falcon or a crow, with an average length of 40 cm , wingspan of 1 metre , and weight of 720 g...
and peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
release program.
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
restoration project to reintroduce bald eagles after an absence of 60 years from the region. In only 10 years, VWS achieved success. In 2007, the bald eagle was officially declared recovered and delisted from the Endangered Species Act
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is one of the dozens of United States environmental laws passed in the 1970s. Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, it was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and...
(ESA).
1992: The Ventana Wildlife Society Research and Education Center opened in Andrew Molera State Park
Andrew Molera State Park
Andrew Molera State Park is a state park of California, USA, preserving relatively undeveloped land on the Big Sur coast. Situated at the mouth of the Big Sur River, the property was part of the Rancho El Sur land grant, and later owned by the Cooper-Molera ranching family. The park is named in ...
, off scenic Highway 1
California State Route 1
State Route 1 , more often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along much of the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. It is famous for running along some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, leading to its designation as an All-American Road.Highway 1 does not run...
, Big Sur
Big Sur
Big Sur is a sparsely populated region of the Central Coast of California where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. The name "Big Sur" is derived from the original Spanish-language "el sur grande", meaning "the big south", or from "el país grande del sur", "the big...
. The primary purpose of this new facility is to increase public outreach efforts and to expand programs to include environmental education and habitat restoration. A purpose-built bird banding lab creates an opportunity to undertake much needed song bird research.
1996: VWS was commended by the California State Senate for its distinguished record of serving the recovery needs of Central Coast endangered species and for instilling a sense of stewardship for the environment through direct educational experience.
1997: VWS joined federal and state efforts to reintroduce the California Condor
California Condor
The California Condor is a New World vulture, the largest North American land bird. Currently, this condor inhabits only the Grand Canyon area, Zion National Park, and coastal mountains of central and southern California and northern Baja California...
and is the only non-profit releasing condors in California.
2009: VWS Discovery Center opened in Big Sur. The center currently features a special exhibition, "Bringing the Condors Home".
Species Recovery: California Condor Reintroduction Program
In 1997, VWS began releasing captive-bred condors in Big Sur with great success and in 2003 initiated a second release site at Pinnacles National Monument
Pinnacles National Monument
Pinnacles National Monument is a protected mountainous area located east of central California's Salinas Valley, just miles from the town of Soledad...
in collaboration with the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
.
All of the free-flying birds are tagged and can be tracked via radio transmitter or GPS. VWS has created a website where one can learn more about the varied personalities of each of the birds of the Big Sur flock, and a blog where readers can follow the work of the biologists as they study the condors and monitor nests and condor chicks.
In 2007, the first condor chick hatched in the wild (in Monterey County
Monterey County, California
Monterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. The northern half of the bay is in Santa Cruz County. As of 2010, the population was 415,057. The county seat and largest city is Salinas...
) in 100 years.
At the end of 2007, the California Fish and Game Commission voted to adopt regulations to restrict the use of lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
bullets within the range of the California Condor and to implement AB 821, legislation signed earlier that year.
In 2009, 42 condors were reported free-flying in central California. With five chicks set to fledge, this was one of the best years for the Central Coast population. But California condors continue to be plagued with lead poisoning, micro-trash ingestion, and DDT residues, which all are seriously hampering the long-term recovery of the species.