On May 1, 2026, after a 60-hour assisted hatching at Jaime Duque Park Foundation, a female Andean condor named Cattleya was born, weighing 227.9 grams. Named for Colombia’s national orchid, she is the fourth chick born under technical supervision since 2024.
This extraordinary milestone is the result of a shared dream and unwavering commitment between the Regional Autonomous Corporation of Cundinamarca (CAR) and the Jaime Duque Park Foundation. Together, with generous investments of over 428 million pesos (about US$104,000), they have fueled a conservation program powered by passion and responsibility.
A birth months in the making
During the first 60 days, the technical team monitored the egg in its pre-hatching stage using high-precision incubators, embryonic heart rate monitors, and digital humidity and temperature control systems to ensure optimal conditions.
Since 2012, the Jaime Duque Park Foundation has led a protection program for the Andean condor, and, with Cattleya, it celebrates a new success. Previously, the institution had achieved the captive birth of three siblings from a pair brought from Chile: Xue (Sun) and Chie (Moon). Finally, in July 2024, a male named Rafiki (Friend) was born, followed in 2025 by two females: Wayra (Wind Queen) in September and Ambar in October.
Cattleya’s parents are Katuma, a male from the Medellin Conservation Park, and Audrey, a female from a zoo in the United States. By descending from a different breeding pair than the previous one, Cattleya’s birth strengthens the program’s genetic diversity.
Artificial incubation: key to saving the species
The natural reproduction of the Andean condor is slow and complex: the species lays a single egg every two or three years, and the chick remains with its parents for over a year before taking its first flight. Furthermore, they are monogamous birds that choose a partner for life.
“Natural reproduction has a very low success rate. Artificial incubation maximizes the chances of birth by allowing control over variables such as temperature and humidity, while also protecting the specimen from predators,” explained Lain Pardo, Biodiversity Specialist at WWF Colombia. Pardo emphasized that every chick born in captivity represents hope for the species.
Just 45 days after Cattleya’s egg was removed, the pair (Katuma and Audrey) laid another egg, opening additional possibilities for the program.
An iconic bird whose numbers are dwindling in Colombia
The Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) is one of the largest flying birds in the world: it can stand 1.3 meters (4 ft 3 in) tall, weigh up to 15 kg (33 lb), and reach a wingspan of 3 meters (10 ft 10 in). It can travel more than 170 kilometers (105.6 miles) in five hours without flapping, beating its wings only 1% of the time during flight. Although it is the national bird of Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Venezuela, its situation is alarming.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies it as critically endangered in Colombian territory. According to the First National Andean Condor Census (2021), only 63 individuals exist in the national territory. Habitat loss, poisoning, poaching, and collisions with power lines have decimated their population.
As a scavenger, the condor plays a fundamental sanitary role by preventing the spread of diseases and the contamination of water sources. Despite these benefits, some rural communities still persecute the bird, mistakenly confusing it for a livestock predator.
Alfred Ballesteros, Director General of CAR Cundinamarca, summarized the importance of the event: “Behind this achievement is science, discipline, and rigorous work involving permanent monitoring and specialized technical intervention.”