t least once a year, we strip our organization to its bare Abones and ask the simple question: what is it, exactly, that we do? The short answer is that we put highly qualified people in places where they can best achieve conservation. A longer, and more interesting, answer is a tale about biologist Lily-Arison Réné de Roland searching a remote region of Madagascar for highly threatened Madagascar Har- riers last year. He spotted an unusual duck, and on closer observation, identified it as the Madagascar Pochard, a species long thought to be extinct. Three months later and some sixty miles south, he made another startling discov- ery—what appears to be a new species of lemur! I realized that if I had to choose, Although clearly not birds of prey, these discoveries illus- trate what I have long felt to be our most significant contri- bution to global conservation: empowering passionate, dedi- cated, competent people to do the work they love. And it isn’t only biologists and bird-lovers who share these qualities. When Tom Cade formed The Peregrine Fund, he gathered the talents of committed falconers, scientists, businessmen, attorneys, politicians, artists, and many others. His eclectic approach nurtured a synergy among diverse pro- fessionals that literally saved species. Almost 38 years later, our staff and board are now com- prised of 138 individuals from 15 states and seven countries, and we draw on the talents and generosity of thousands more. Because of them, and you, we’ll proudly continue to earn the reputation of a “can do” organization that achieves remarkable long-term results. J. Peter Jenny President and CEO Charles Lindbergh U.S. aviator (1902–1974) photo by Christie Van Cleve photo by Christie Van EURO P E A S I A Gerald D. and Kathryn S. Herrick Tropical Raptor AFRICA Building established. Current projects To prevent extinction of the Locations where we Peregrine Falcon, Tom Cade, have worked an ornithologist at Cornell AUSTRALIA University, began to develop the first reliable methods of breeding falcons in captivity. World Center A second breeding facility The university set aside dona- for Birds of Prey was established in Fort tions in an account named established in Collins, Colorado, headed “The Peregrine Fund.” Boise, Idaho. by Bill Burnham, who served Initiated Madagascar as president for 20 years. Conservation Program. 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 Archives of American Initiated Initiated Falconry Maya Project, Pan Africa established. Guatemala. Program. he Peregrine Fund works worldwide to conserve biological diversity by CONTENTS Trestoring endangered birds of prey and identifying their key environmental Conservation Programs threats, ecology, and relationship with Nearctic. 4 Neotropics . 8 NORTH humans. To achieve this, we: Pan Africa . 10 • restore rare species through Asia-Pacific. 12 AMERICA captive breeding and releases; • conserve habitat; Conservation • improve capacity for Science . 14 local conservation; and Educating for • conduct scientific research Conservation . 16 and environmental education. Velma Morrison Interpretive Center established. Financial Highlights . 18 Donors . 20 Rediscovered Madagascar SOUTH Red Owl and Madagascar Staff and Volunteers. 24 Serpent Eagle. AMERICA Gerald D. and Sheikh Zayad Board Chairmen . 25 Kathryn S. Herrick Arab Falconry Peter and Conni Pfendler Collections Building Heritage Wing California Condor established. completed at The Facility established. Helped create Archives of Established Discovered Masoala Falconry. National Park, Fondo cause of the vulture popula- Hawaiian Madagascar’s Peregrino– tion crash in Endangered largest rain- Panama. South Asia. Bird Program forest reserve. established. 1995 2000 2005 2008 Removal of Rediscovered the Peregrine Global Madagascar High Arctic Falcon from Neotropical Raptor Pochard and Institute the U.S. Raptor Center Information discovered established in Endangered established in Network new lemur Greenland. Species List. Panama. established. species. nearctic Left to right: Condor soars near the Grand Canyon; Chris Parish, field project supervisor, prepares a condor for release; a pair of condors rests on a secure perch. Chris Parish File photo We cannot restore condors to the wild unless we prevent lead poisoning from spent ammunition. Humans nearly decimated ronmental danger to scavenging with our partner, the Arizona poisoning, the leading cause of the magnificent California wildlife, and also to humans. Game and Fish Department, to death. Also, fewer were treated Condor, North America’s Our research shows that lead inform hunters about this dan- for lead poisoning than in the largest flying land bird. bullets fragment into dozens or ger. Hunters were offered free prior year. Even so, eliminating hundreds of tiny pieces that dis- non-lead ammunition to use in lead in the condor diet remains The population numbered perse widely in an animal when condor country and asked to a top priority. a mere 22 condors by it is shot. When condors con- bring in animal remains that About 300 condors now exist 1982. A remarkable recov- sume animal remains, they normally would be left in the in the world, with half of them SPRING 2008 • ery is under way, but this ingest tiny fragments of lead, field. Our biologists provided flying free. By the end of 2007, rare bird continues to suf- enough to cause them to supplemental food and moni- the total population in Arizona fer from a human-caused become ill or die. tored the daily movements of and southern Utah numbered Until this problem is solved, the condor flock by satellite- 61. Six adult pairs in the Ari- threat: lead poisoning. it is unlikely that condors can reporting transmitters. zona flock showed nesting Condors present a warning be established in the wild as a The year 2007 was signifi- behavior and two were success- that lead bullets fired from a self-sustaining population. cant for condor survival in Ari- ful, bringing the total of wild- high-powered rifle are an envi- For the third year, we worked zona: no condors died of lead fledged condors to six. THE PEREGRINE FUND ANNUAL REPORT THE PEREGRINE FUND ANNUAL REPORT 4 Ingestion of Spent Lead Ammunition: Implications for Wildlife and Humans Biologists, health professionals, and scientists will meet in Boise to discuss the effects of ingested lead ammunition on wildlife and humans at a conference convened by The Peregrine Fund. It will be held 12–15 May 2008, on the campus of Boise State University. The conference is the result of grow- to encourage hunters to voluntarily ing concern that lead poisoning imper- switch to copper bullets, which are less Christie Van Cleve ils the ultimate success of the Califor- toxic and less likely to fragment. CALIFORNIA CONDOR RESTORATION The captive population at our Staff: Bill Heinrich directs the California Condor Program. Field nia Condor recovery program. The fragmentation of lead bullets is World Center for Birds of Prey work is directed by Chris Parish and captive breeding Lead bullets also raising in Boise successfully produced is managed by Randy Townsend assisted by Meagan Kaiser and used by concern about 11 chicks. Nine condors were Joe Burke. Grainger Hunt is the senior scientist with the program. hunters are the effects of released to join the wild popula- Kurt Burnham and Brian Mutch assisted with research. Eddie the primary lead contami- Feltes is the field manager with a field crew of Evan Buechley, tion in 2007. Maria Dominguez, Robert Gay, Tim Hauck, Martha Jenkins, source of con- nation of wild Although the harmful effects Matthew Podolsky, Shaun Putz, Eric Weis, and Sean Wolfe. tamination. game con- of ingesting lead are certain and Cooperators: The Arizona reintroduction program is a joint The condors sumed by spent ammunition is a known project among The Peregrine Fund, the Arizona Game and Fish feed on gut humans. Lead source of lead exposure in avian Department, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, piles and car- is particularly U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Utah Division scavengers, collation of the evi- of Wildlife Resources, Southern Utah’s Coalition of Resources and casses, which dangerous in dence from diverse experts and Economics, and numerous other partners. Pathology and veteri- contain hun- children, additional study of this source nary support are provided by Meridian Veterinary Clinic (Scott dreds of tiny whose intel- of lead exposure in humans is Higer), the Zoological Society of San Diego (Bruce Rideout), and fragments of lectual and needed to present the best avail- Washington State University (Lindsay Oaks). lead in ani- Dozens of tiny fragments of lead are visible in behavioral Funding and other support for the project was provided by able science to policy- and deci- mals killed by this radiograph of a deer harvested with a high- development the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Liz Claiborne and Art Orten- powered rifle. For more information, see sion-makers. We are sponsoring berg Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Mead high-powered is impaired by _ a scientific conference of experts Foundation, The Philadelphia Foundation, Grand Canyon Conser- rifles. Because www.peregrinefund.org/Lead conference. exposure to in this field of study in May vation Fund, The Kearny Alliance, Patagonia, Globe Foundation, condors are social scavengers that feed even tiny amounts of lead. At the con- 2008. For more information, and the Lowry Park Zoo of Tampa Bay. together, it takes only one lead-contami- ference in May, The Peregrine Fund Important in-kind assistance was received from Norm Free- see www.peregrinefund.org/Lead_ man, the Salt River Project, the Arizona Strip Bureau of Land nated carcass to affect many birds. The expects to release the results of its con- conference. Management, and the Phoenix Zoo. Peregrine Fund has worked closely with tinuing studies on lead in hunter- the Arizona Game and Fish Department killed animals. 5 nearctic Alicia Arcidiacono Paul Juergens Ranchers provide more than two million acres of critical habitat for the recovery of endangered Aplomado Falcons.