Preliminary Habitat Models of Foraging and Roosting Sites Used By Two Rehabilitated Adult Male Andean Condors (Vultur gryphus) In Peru

• Published in: The Journal of raptor research Vol. 52; no. 2; pp. 231 - 239
• Main Authors: Piana, Renzo P, Vargas, F. Hernán
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Raptor Research Foundation, Inc 01.06.2018
• Subjects: Andean Condor; foraging areas; generalized linear models; habitat models; puna grassland; roosting sites; Vultur gryphus
• ISSN: 0892-1016; 2162-4569
• DOI: 10.3356/JRR-17-19.1

Satellite telemetry is widely used to generate information on species' use of space, which contributes to meeting conservation goals. Between June 2015 and September 2016, we obtained approximately 11,000 GPS points from two adult male Andean Condors (Vultur gryphus) that had been fitted with satellite transmitters and released in the central Andes of Peru. We used GPS coordinates and associated data to produce habitat distribution models (binomial Generalized Linear Models) from presence and pseudo-absence data of roosting sites and foraging areas visited by these individuals. The best potential habitats for Andean Condors in Peru were west of the Andes, from the border with Ecuador, south to Bolivia and Chile. Foraging areas of both individuals were at higher elevations than roosting sites (means: 3934 masl and 3356 masl, respectively). Roosting sites were in areas dominated by grasslands and agriculture, whereas foraging areas were dominated by puna grassland and brush. Conservation strategies for Andean Condors in Peru should be informed by data derived from satellite telemetry and should focus on preserving natural short vegetation above 3000 m west of the Andes for foraging and, for roosting sites, on maintaining areas free from the disturbances of road construction.