The natural environment of the modern world has been under siege for the better part of the past century. This has been due to many factors. The waste produced by an ever-expanding human population has tainted much of the natural resources available to both humans and animals alike. Efforts to curb this waste output and to more effectively dispose of the waste have failed in the mainstream. The constant change of the common environment instituted by humans who have collectively sought to modify their own habitat has exacted a high toll on the available habitat for lesser creatures. Constant waste production, poor disposal, and habitat encroachment have combined to render the balance of the natural world asunder. "The delicate and intricate balance of the natural world has been damaged by a dominant species that has commonly disregarded its inherent responsibility to garnish its actions concurrent with the world it shares with the rest of nature" (Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species. p3).

An all too common result of this imbalance is the expiration of entire species of animals that

of the habitat needs these birds required. The incubation period of these birds was found to be fifty-four to fifty-eight days, with each parent taking turns guarding the nest. The fragility of these birds was attributed in part to their low birth rate. "A mature female will lay one egg only every two years, and the young are fed throughout most of their eighteen to twenty month adolescence. Although a chic begins flight practice at five to six months of age, the dependency on the adults for food can continue into the second year" (Audubon's Birds of America.). This reproductive profile rendered the condor population sensitive to hunting and encroachment because they required so long a period of time to regenerate losses in population. "The effects of industrial chemical pollution further complicated regeneration of losses. Industrial chemical pollution has been proven to be destructive with studies having shown that the eggshells of condors were reduced in thickness by as much as thirty percent after the widespread use of DDT" (MacMillan Illustrated Encyclopedia of Birds).

First, does answering the slow regeneration problem through captive double clutching fix the problem of extinction or simply delay a symptom? It is important to recognize that the numbers of wild condors were diminished to the point of near extinction as a result of human destruction of habitat. Through pollution and

Some common words found in the essay are:
Carl Koford, California Condor, Research Center, Endangered Species, Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA CONDOR, BREEDING Captive, Park Ranger, Vermillion McNulty, Encyclopedia Birds, captive breeding, california condor, endangered species, san diego, april 2000, center reproduction endangered, captive birds, reproduction endangered, human race, california condors, san diego zoo, center reproduction, reproduction endangered species, captive breeding programs, actions human race,
Approximate Word count = 2722
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)