The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #80757   Message #1474169
Posted By: Abby Sale
29-Apr-05 - 08:42 AM
Thread Name: Happy! - April 29
Subject: Happy! - April 29
Molloko, "condor" in Maidu Indian (or in Chumash Indian) language, was born 4/29/1988 in San Diego; the 1st California condor conceived and born in captivity.

        The condor flew home in the evening,
        And there ate friend Tommy so snug.
        (The reason, it seems, was) she thought him
        A remarkable specie of bug.

                "Tom Twist," Vermont Folk-Songs & Ballads,
                 Helen Hartness Flanders; c1931


I can't find much follow-up to this. Seems the California condor population was down to about 12 and is over 160 now. I guess that tokens some success in human intervention. Unless it turns out that condors devastate some mouse population that's been controlling some kind of grub that carries the last strain of smallpox, which, uncontrolled, wipes out 1/2 the human population.

I also can't find much further history on Molloko. She bore a daughter in 1995 but daughter was shy and couldn't leave home. If anyone knows if, eg, Molloko is still alive and has mothered hundreds of eggs (or failed to breed further and was served up as soup) please let me know.

Copyright © 2005, Abby Sale - all rights reserved