THE PEREGRINE FUND INC

THE CALIFORNIA CONDOR RECOVERY PROGRAM-LED BY THE PEREGRINE FUND (TPF) IN COLLABORATION WITH FEDERAL, STATE, TRIBAL, AND PRIVATE PARTNERS-COMBINES INTENSIVE WILD POPULATION MANAGEMENT WITH A ROBUST CAPTIVE PROPAGATION PROGRAM TO RECOVER ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES. THROUGH COORDINATED BREEDING, STRATEGIC RELEASES, RIGOROUS SCIENTIFIC MONITORING, AND CROSS-JURISDICTIONAL CONSERVATION INITIATIVES, THE PROGRAM AIMS TO ESTABLISH A VIABLE, SELF-SUSTAINING POPULATION OF CALIFORNIA CONDORS IN NORTHERN ARIZONA, SOUTHERN UTAH, AND ACROSS THE SPECIES' HISTORIC RANGE. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) SINCE 1996, TPF HAS RELEASED 274 CAPTIVE-REARED CONDORS INTO THE ARIZONAUTAH REGION AND CONFIRMED 69 WILD-HATCHED YOUNG FROM 35 UNIQUE BREEDING PAIRS. THE WILD POPULATION NOW STANDS AT 360+ BIRDS - A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OVER THE SPECIES' LOW OF JUST 22 INDIVIDUALS IN 1982 - AND CONTRIBUTES TO A GLOBAL POPULATION APPROACHING 600 BIRDS, WITH MORE CONDORS NOW LIVING IN THE WILD THAN IN CAPTIVITY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MODERN RECOVERY HISTORY.WILD POPULATION MANAGEMENT IS SUPPORTED BY CONTINUOUS GPS-ENABLED TRACKING, HEALTH ASSESSMENTS, NEST MONITORING, AND RAPID RESPONSE TO EMERGING THREATS. RESEARCH ON FORAGING ECOLOGY, MOVEMENT PATTERNS, REPRODUCTION, AND TOXICOLOGY CONTINUES TO INFORM ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT. HOWEVER, ADULT MORTALITY REMAINS DRIVEN PRIMARILY BY LEAD POISONING: IN FY25, 67% OF TESTED BIRDS REQUIRED CHELATION THERAPY, AND ALTHOUGH FATALITIES DECLINED, BLOOD-LEAD LEVELS REACHED RECORD HIGHS. PARTNERSHIPS WITH ARIZONA GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT AND UTAH DIVISION OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES HAVE STRENGTHENED VOLUNTARY LEAD-REDUCTION EFFORTS, WITH HUNTER PARTICIPATION EXCEEDING 80%, BUT LEAD FROM SMALL-CALIBER AMMUNITION AND CARCASS DISPOSAL REMAINS A PERSISTENT CHALLENGE. DISEASE MANAGEMENT HAS ALSO BECOME CRITICAL; THE 2023 OUTBREAK OF HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA (HPAI), WHICH CAUSED 21 DEATHS IN THREE WEEKS, PROMPTED ENHANCED SURVEILLANCE, NEW BIOSECURITY PROTOCOLS, AND MANDATORY VACCINATION OF ALL PRE-RELEASE BIRDS.THE PROGRAM RESUMED RELEASES IN 2024 FOLLOWING THE HPAI-RELATED PAUSE, WITH THIRTEEN BIRDS RELEASED IN FY25 AND FOURTEEN MORE PLANNED FOR FY26. INCREASED GPS DEPLOYMENT, EXPANDED ACCESS TO PRIVATE LANDS, AND STRENGTHENED PARTNERSHIPS HAVE IMPROVED DETECTION AND RESPONSE TIMES FOR SICK OR INJURED BIRDS. DESPITE NINE MORTALITIES IN FY25-FROM LEAD, TRAUMA, DISEASE, AND HUMAN-CAUSED INCIDENTS-RELEASES, RESCUES, AND TREATMENT HELPED STABILIZE THE POPULATION TRAJECTORY.SUPPORTING THIS FIELD EFFORT, THE PEREGRINE FUND'S WORLD CENTER FOR BIRDS OF PREY (WCBP) MAINTAINS A GENETICALLY DIVERSE CAPTIVE FLOCK AND PRODUCES 16 TO 20 CHICKS ANNUALLY FOR RELEASE. IN 2025, WCBP MANAGED 66 CONDORS, INCLUDING 18 BREEDING PAIRS AND 14 NESTLINGS, WITH STRONG REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS: 65% EGG VIABILITY, 80% HATCHABILITY, AND 100% NESTLING SURVIVAL. EIGHT JUVENILES WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE YUROK CONDOR RESTORATION PROGRAM FOR RELEASE, WHILE TWO WERE RETAINED FOR GENETIC OR WELFARE REASONS. NEW BREEDING PAIRS WERE ESTABLISHED BASED ON UPDATED GENETIC RECOMMENDATIONS, INCREASING TOTAL BREEDING PAIRS TO 21. MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS-INCLUDING COMPLETION OF CONDOR BARN 4 AND UPGRADES TO OLDER FACILITIES-ENHANCED BREEDING PERFORMANCE, HANDLING EFFICIENCY, AND WELFARE. DISEASE PREVENTION REMAINED A CORE FOCUS, WITH UNIVERSAL WEST NILE VIRUS VACCINATIONS AND ONGOING HPAI IMMUNIZATION EFFORTS.EMERGING PROPAGATION CHALLENGES INCLUDE DECLINING FERTILITY AND EGGSHELL QUALITY IN OLDER FEMALES, MANY NOW OVER 40 YEARS OLD, PROMPTING EVALUATION OF RETIREMENT STRATEGIES AND REASSIGNMENT OF ROLES TO MAINTAIN LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY. CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN FACILITY RENOVATION, EQUIPMENT MODERNIZATION, VETERINARY CAPACITY, AND GENETIC MANAGEMENT REMAINS ESSENTIAL TO SUSTAIN ANNUAL PRODUCTION TARGETS AND SUPPORT ALL RELEASE PROGRAMS NATIONWIDE.TOGETHER, THE PROPAGATION AND REINTRODUCTION COMPONENTS OF THE CALIFORNIA CONDOR RECOVERY PROGRAM HAVE ACHIEVED REMARKABLE PROGRESS OVER THE PAST THREE DECADES. YET THE SPECIES REMAINS RELIANT ON CONTINUED RELEASES, INTENSIVE MONITORING, LEAD REDUCTION, AND ROBUST DISEASE MANAGEMENT. WITH SUSTAINED FUNDING, STRONG PARTNERSHIPS, AND ADAPTIVE SCIENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT, THE PROGRAM IS POSITIONED TO MAKE FURTHER GAINS TOWARD ITS ULTIMATE GOAL: A STABLE, SELF-SUSTAINING WILD POPULATION OF CALIFORNIA CONDORS IN THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST AND BEYOND.

THE MADAGASCAR PROGRAM FOCUSES ON STRENGTHENING NATIONAL CONSERVATION CAPACITY, PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY-RICH HABITATS, AND PREVENTING THE EXTINCTION OF CRITICALLY ENDANGERED RAPTORS. EFFORTS CENTER ON FOUR PROTECTED AREAS REPRESENTING DRY FORESTS, WETLANDS, AND MONTANE ECOSYSTEMS.IN 2025, THE PROGRAM ACHIEVED MAJOR PROGRESS IN CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT, ECOLOGICAL MONITORING, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND SCIENTIFIC CAPACITY BUILDING. OVER 84 FOREST PATROLS AND NINE JOINT MISSIONS WITH GOVERNMENT PARTNERS IMPROVED HABITAT PROTECTION. REFORESTATION EFFORTS RESTORED 315 HECTARES WITH MORE THAN 315,000 SEEDLINGS. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)FIRE MANAGEMENT CAPACITY WAS STRENGTHENED THROUGH PUBLIC AWARENESS, TRAINING, AND THE CREATION AND MAINTENANCE OF OVER 60 KM OF FIREBREAKS. LOCAL COMMUNITIES BENEFITED THROUGH AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, AND EDUCATION INITIATIVES. THESE INCLUDED AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT DONATIONS, TRAINING FOR FARMERS, ASSISTING IN THE REPAIR OR REHABILITATION OF SEVERAL SCHOOLS, AND THE INSTALLATION OF RENEWABLE-ENERGY AND COLD-STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES TO SUPPORT LOCAL LIVELIHOODS AND ANIMAL HEALTH.ECOLOGICAL MONITORING PRODUCED CRITICAL DATA ON ENDANGERED SPECIES, INCLUDING POPULATION COUNTS OF THE MADAGASCAR POCHARD AND MONITORING OF KEY RAPTOR SPECIES SUCH AS THE MALAGASY HARRIER, MADAGASCAR SERPENT-EAGLE, AND MADAGASCAR FISH EAGLE. WATERBIRD SURVEYS RECORDED 26 SPECIES AND NEARLY 4,000 INDIVIDUALS. PROTECTED AREA GOVERNANCE STRENGTHENED THROUGH REGIONAL COMMITTEE MEETINGS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOPS, AND BOUNDARY DEMARCATION.THE PROGRAM ALSO INVESTED HEAVILY IN DEVELOPING MALAGASY SCIENTIFIC EXPERTISE. TWELVE UNIVERSITY DEGREES WERE COMPLETED BY SUPPORTED STUDENTS, AND STAFF AND STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS, AND SPECIALIZED TRAINING SPANNING CONSERVATION COMMUNICATION, DRONE MONITORING, WETLAND MANAGEMENT, AND PRIMATE RESEARCH. THESE OPPORTUNITIES ADVANCED TECHNICAL SKILLS, RESEARCH CAPACITY, AND INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION.AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, ENGAGEMENT WITH GOVERNMENT PARTNERS WAS REINFORCED THROUGH THE SCREENING OF A WETLANDS DOCUMENTARY AT MADAGASCAR'S COP15, RAISING AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTED AREAS AND CONSERVATION OUTCOMES.OVERALL, THE PROGRAM MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IN BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION, COMMUNITY RESILIENCE, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, AND LOCAL CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT, SUPPORTING MADAGASCAR'S LONG-TERM CONSERVATION PRIORITIES.