The California condor (United States) is an endangered species which has however managed to increase its population thanks to a phenomenon of reproduction between females called parthenogenesis.

This is what scientists from the genetics and biodiversity department for the Californian pole of the NGO Wildlife Alliance have discovered in partnership with the San Diego zoo, according to 

The Guardian

relayed by

Slate

.

In 1982, the California condor population was only 22 individuals.

But recently that number has risen to around 900, in particular thanks to the action of the San Diego Zoo which works for the preservation of wild animals.

Scientists decided to conduct DNA analyzes on California condors to determine family ties between them and to avoid inbreeding.

A method of reproduction that is not without consequences

Oliver Ryder, head of the genetics and biodiversity department for the California pole of the NGO Wildlife Alliance, and his team then discovered the case of two females from an egg that did not contain the genetic material of their alleged father. Then, they found many other similar cases. They concluded that the species of the largest flying bird in North America performed parthenogenesis.

Concretely, females manage to reproduce among themselves.

Usually, however, this phenomenon is used by species that do not have access to males, which is not the case with the California condor.

On the other hand, this mode of reproduction is not without consequence: the last two males conceived in this way only lived 2 and 8 years whereas this species can normally live around fifty years.

But this finding means that other species potentially resort to parthenogenesis without our knowing it.

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  • United States

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  • Animals

  • California