Venezuela has undertaken a determined plan to save the **Andean condor**. Currently, only **10 specimens survive in captivity in the country**. Additionally, most of them are close relatives.
To reverse the situation, the organization **Mundo Safari** is leading the plan, focused on the **conservation, reproduction, and eventual release** of this species into its natural habitat.
## Venezuela: how is the plan to save the Andean condor
The project leader, **Adrián Carrero**, explained that agreements are being made to bring females from other countries to Venezuela.
The goal, he pointed out, is to **diversify the genetics of the current group** because six of the Venezuelan condors are siblings and live with their father, complicating their reproduction, as reported by *Radio Fe y AlegrÃa*.
In addition to the Andean condor, the program includes the **protection of other endangered species** such as the king vulture, the Andean rattlesnake, the mountain parrot, and the military macaw.
The center operates from the **El Pedregal** area, on the Tabay Andean road, in the state of Mérida.
Carrero also clarified a common misconception that often confuses their behavior. The condor is not a bird of prey. **“It does not hunt, it feeds on carrion**. It is one of the largest birds in the world, but it is not a predator,” he said.
The project includes an educational component aimed at schools and communities. Recently, students from Ana Romelia Vielma school visited the center and shared what they learned about wildlife. For Sergio Salazar, a teacher, the experience represents an opportunity to teach outside the classroom.
The Mundo Safari team insists that the future of many species depends not only on conservation centers, **but on the respect and commitment of society** to wildlife.
## The importance of the Andean condor
The Andean condor (*Vultur Gryphus*) is an emblematic species of South America and is considered a cultural and natural heritage of the continent.
In Argentina, it is found along the Andes mountain range, in provinces such as **Catamarca, Jujuy, Tucumán, Salta, Tierra del Fuego**, and in the central region of the country.
It feeds on carrion, fulfilling an **invaluable role in ecosystems**. By consuming dead animals, it prevents the proliferation of bacteria that can cause diseases in humans. Additionally, it helps control the population of other scavenger species, thus contributing to maintaining the ecosystem’s balance.
