Condor is capable of asexual reproduction | Abroad

During a routine analysis of biological samples from the California condors in the zoo’s breeding program, the scientists found that two condors had hatched from unfertilized eggs. Both condors were genetically related to their mother, but neither bird was genetically related to a male condor at the zoo.

The two chicks are the first two cases of asexual reproduction, or parthenogenesis, that have been confirmed in the California condor, the zoo said. “This is a very rare discovery. Asexual reproduction is known in other animal species, especially reptiles and fish, but it is very rare in birds,” said Cynthia Steiner, one of the researchers.

Extra special is that both female birds were continuously housed with fertile male partners, with whom they had already produced chicks. Asexual reproduction has never been confirmed in a bird species where the female bird had access to a mate. “At some point, for some reason, they also decided to switch to asexual reproduction,” Steiner said.

The California condor is one of the world’s rarest bird species, but its population is increasing. According to Steiner, there are now about 500 California condors, of which about 200 are in captivity and 300 in the wild.

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