BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1956
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Date of Hearing: April 14, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 1956 (Monning) - As Amended: April 5, 2010
Policy Committee: Water, Parks and
Wildlife Vote: 12-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to
allow condor preservation programs to feed wild California
condors, pursuant to a memorandum of understanding (MOU).
Specifically, this bill:
1)States that the MOU be consistent with certain conditions,
including:
a) Feed for condors be limited to livestock euthanized by
shooting with nonlead ammunition or that died from natural
causes; wildlife killed by traffic on state highways and
collected by the Department of Transportation; and animals
that died from natural causes on private property, if
transported to the feeding site by the landowner.
b) Feeding sites be a safe distance from nearby hazards and
appropriately situated, as specified.
2)Exempts DFG, when providing animal carcasses for condor
feeding purposes, from prohibitions on transporting animal
carcasses.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Costs to DFG in 2010-11 and 2011-12 of approximately $125,000
to prepare new MOUs. (General Fund or grants from private
sources.)
2)Potential minor ongoing costs, likely less than $50,000
annually, to periodically review and revise MOUs and consult
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with interested parties. (General Fund or grants from private
sources.)
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . California condors likely would have gone extinct
if not for a captive breeding program began about 25 years
ago. Now, small numbers of these bred condors are being
reintroduced into the wild in mountainous regions of Southern
California and the Central Coast.
Proponents contend survival of the California condor depends
on continued feeding programs. This is because the young,
reintroduced condors-bred in captivity and unschooled in the
ways of the wild-oftentimes do not know how or where to
scavenge for carrion.
DFG lacks authority to enter into MOUs with private
organizations to provide for the feeding of condors. Yet,
such private groups continue to provide food for condors to
help ensure their survival. This bill expressly provides such
authority to DFG. In addition, it specifies conditions to be
included in these MOUs that, according to proponents, ensures
condors are fed without further endangering them. In
addition, the bill facilitates DFG's ability to transport dead
animals, should it choose to do so as part of a feeding
program.
2)Background . The California condor is North America's largest
terrestrial bird, with a wingspan of nine and a half feet.
Hundreds of years ago, California condors were common in
California and nearby regions. More recently, a variety of
factors-most significantly poaching, habitat destruction,
chemical pollution, and lead shot ingestion-dramatically
reduced the condor population. California condors were listed
as endangered species in 1967; their numbers continued to
dwindle, nonetheless. In the early 1980s, there were less
than 30 condors alive in the wild.
To stave off extinction, the last wild condor was captured in
1987. An intensive captive breeding program began at San
Diego Wild Animal Park and the Los Angeles Zoo. Fifteen years
later, biologists began reintroducing condors into the wild.
Today, there are 87 wild California condors in the state.
Captive and wild birds combined, there are only 350 California
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condors in existence. The bird's survival remains
questionable.
3)Support . Conservation groups contend that DFG needs the
express legal authority to allow condor feeding programs that
will better ensure the survival of the endangered bird.
4)Opposition . In policy committee, opponents, including several
hunting organizations, protested the proposed use of Fish and
Game Preservation Fund (FGPF) money to pay for the feeding of
California condors, a nongame bird. Amendments taken in
policy committee seem have resolved opponents' concerns.
Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081