"SANTIAGO - An Andean condor being treated in Chile with lead in its blood, a pellet embedded in its skull and a satellite tracker from Argentina highlights the challenges of conserving this endangered bird.

The condor was sick and unable to fly when agents from Chile's farming and livestock SAG agency found it in late May and took it to the national zoo for treatment.

That is when veterinarians found the tracker and detected high levels of lead in its blood, underscoring the effects of human interference and the need for international cooperation to conserve the Andean condor."

Rodrigo Gutierrez, Ivan Alvarado, and Alexander Villegas report for Reuters July 23, 2024. [2]