San Diego
A condor keeper at the San Diego Wild Animal Park determined Thursday that the California condor egg laid earlier this week is fertile. The egg is expected to hatch about March 12.
A small spot on the yolk, a sign of embryo development, was identified through candling, in which the egg is observed with a high-intensity light shining behind it.
“Now we just incubate it until approximately March 12,” park spokesman Tom Hanscom said. The egg will be weighed daily in anticipation of moisture loss during the incubation period, he said.
“We don’t want the chick to dry out,” Hanscom said. “Too much or not enough moisture loss will lead to developmental problems.”
Moisture loss can be adjusted by changing the humidity of the incubator, he said.
The egg, which was laid Monday, is the earliest ever laid in the recorded mating season of the condor. The animal park hopes the same pair of condors will produce as many as three eggs before the season is over in May, Hanscom said.
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