加利福尼亚秃鹰的出生是一个里程碑，我们有图片来证明这一点

加利福尼亚秃鹰的出生是一个里程碑，我们有图片来证明这一点

The condor may be to California what the bald eagle is to America: a high-flying symbol of strength and independence — with a bit of a weird streak.

秃鹰之于加州，就像秃鹰之于美国一样:象征着力量和独立高飞——带着一点怪异的条纹。

Biologists captured this 'precious' photo of the condor nest after scaling a nearby cliff. (Photo: National Park Service)

But for a while, it seemed this breathtaking bird would fade forever into the California sunset.

但有一段时间，这只令人惊叹的鸟似乎将永远消失在加州的夕阳中。

By 1982, the ravages of hunting, habitat encroachment and lead poisoning had reduced their numbers to a mere 22. That spelled the end of independence for these raptors. Five years later, the last of their kind were living in the Peregrine Fund's captive breeding program.

1982年，由于狩猎、栖息地侵蚀和铅中毒的破坏，它们的数量已经减少到只有22只。这意味着这些猛禽的独立时代结束了。五年后，它们中的最后一种生活在Peregrine基金的圈养繁殖计划中。

It was a necessary measure — and, ultimately, a successful one. Now, the population has reached more than 500 individuals, with more than half of them living in the wild. A species that had once called much of North America home has begun to spread its wings again.

这是一项必要的措施，最终也是一项成功的措施。现在，该种群已经达到500多只，其中一半以上生活在野外。曾经将北美大部分地区视为家园的物种现在又开始展翅飞翔。

Condors are the hermits of the bird kingdom, often nesting on solitary peaks. (Photo: National Park Service)

Indeed, biologists had to sleuth out their presence, often casing their rocky and remote neighborhoods for signs of new family members..

事实上，生物学家不得不侦察它们的存在，经常在多岩石的偏远地区寻找它们新家庭成员的踪迹。

Ultimately, a condor couple — designated 409 and 523 — gave themselves away when they started taking turns leaving the nest for food.

最后，一对被命名为409和523的秃鹰夫妇在开始轮流离开巢穴觅食时，暴露了自己。

In the end, scientists had to scale a cliff across from the family's cave to finally get photographic proof that baby 1,000 was officially in the world.

最后，科学家们不得不爬过家族洞穴对面的悬崖，最终获得了1000个婴儿正式出生的照片证据。

"When we confirmed it … it was just this feeling of overwhelming joy," Stroud-Settles told The Guardian.

“当我们确认这一消息时……这是一种压倒一切的喜悦之情，”斯特劳-安顿斯告诉《卫报》。

And the baby designated 1,001? That squeaking bundle of feathers has already been confirmed, born to parents bred in captivity at the Grand Canyon.

那孩子的名字是1001，这堆吱吱作响的羽毛已经得到证实，它们的父母是在大峡谷人工饲养长大的。

With their numbers surging beyond 500, the California condor has come a long way since the early 1980s. (Photo: National Park Service)

Still, it isn't all blue skies for the California condor. Classified as critically endangeredon IUCN's Red List, these raptors rely on dedicated conservation efforts.

不过，加州秃鹰的天空并不都是蓝色的。在世界自然保护联盟的红色名单上，这些猛禽被列为极度濒危物种。