The California Condor may become a ‘contemporary dinosaur’
Watercolor on Paper
40(47F) x 25(34F) x Matted and Framed
Private Collection
The California Condor is a 'contemporary dinosaur'. We spend millions of dollars and great emotional energy to pull this unique species back from the brink of extinction, only to find their natural niche has deteriorated further and is occupied by those that have other uses for the resource.
A small group is being introduced back into the wild in of the Southern California mountains and the Grand Canyon. They are an ancient family of birds that feed mostly on carrion, which is now in short natural supply. It is unknown whether they can or will be able to adapt and survive close to human populations.
The land is worth too much to be possessed by a mere bird. The re-introduction of the California Condor, along with his Andean Condor cousins, symbolizes our desire to go to great lengths to correct a past mistake. And the crow represents the objections of those who currently possess the valuable resource and resent having to leave. The coyote and the bailing wire show the resistance of some and the tangled politics involved in the issue.
The California Condor is a 'contemporary dinosaur'. We spend millions of dollars and great emotional energy to pull this unique species back from the brink of extinction, only to find their natural niche has deteriorated further and is occupied by those that have other uses for the resource.
A small group is being introduced back into the wild in of the Southern California mountains and the Grand Canyon. They are an ancient family of birds that feed mostly on carrion, which is now in short natural supply. It is unknown whether they can or will be able to adapt and survive close to human populations.
The land is worth too much to be possessed by a mere bird. The re-introduction of the California Condor, along with his Andean Condor cousins, symbolizes our desire to go to great lengths to correct a past mistake. And the crow represents the objections of those who currently possess the valuable resource and resent having to leave. The coyote and the bailing wire show the resistance of some and the tangled politics involved in the issue.
Species:
California Condor,
Coyote,
Crow,
Carrion Fly