Featured mission: Saving a California condor

California condor 171, 'Traveler' needed emergency transport from the Oakland Zoo to the LA Zoo due to lead toxicosis. Photo by Mike Clark/LA Zoo

In early July, LightHawk received an urgent request from the Los Angeles zoo to transport a sick California condor. The wild matriarch of the Central Big Sur Coast, condor 171, was suffering from lead toxicosis. At 25 years old, she was in dire need of critical care and surgery to remove lead fragments from her stomach.

The bird was at the Oakland Zoo and needed to be transported to the LA Zoo who is experienced in this kind of procedure. Without the surgery and treatment, she would not survive and the world would lose an endangered California condor. With fewer than 600 condors in existence, each one is important.

Pilot Mark, Oakland Zoo Vet Tech Monica, and the condor crate. Photo by Monica Fox/Oakland Zoo.

LightHawk volunteer pilot Mark Dedon answered the call for emergency transport. Together with Oakland Zoo's Monica Fox, Mark loaded the condor's crate into his Cessna 182 and flew the bird south to be met by staff from the Los Angeles zoo. From there, the condor was rushed in for surgery and treatment to address the lead in her system.

After the flight, Monica said, "This flight was great, as was the pilot Mark Dedon. I learned so many new things about flying and little planes, it was truly an amazing, eye-opening experience. Mark was an excellent pilot who was also very friendly and informative. Having LightHawk as an option to transport condors (ill or healthy) is such an amazing resource for the CA Condor Recovery Program and all of us are so thankful for this service. Thank you for everything that you do!"

X-Ray shows lead within California condor 171. Photo by Mike Clark/LA Zoo

Fortunately, condor 171 survived thanks to the surgery and treatment received at the LA Zoo. They were able to remove the lead from her system and her bloodstream and she made a full recovery to be released back into the wild.

LA Zoo's Mike Clark commented, "Lighthawk has done it again! We made this request last minute because of the critical nature of the lead poisoned condor. The bird was at the new location less than 24 hours later! We could not have done this without such an understanding, helpful and capable person like Christine at Lighthawk and of course our volunteer pilot Mark Dedon. We know that if Lighthawk CAN help us then they WILL help us."

Thanks to LightHawk volunteer pilot Mark Dedon and all LightHawk supporters for making flights like this one possible.

Pilot Mark and his plane. Photo by Monica Fox/Oakland Zoo