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Young California Condor Takes Flight in Arizona Many in FWS are familiar with the science in our .r= Biological Resources Discipline, and work closely with scientists in its 18 .' Science Centers, 40 Cooperative Research Units, and the NBII. I encourage you Chip Groa4 USGS to also include Photo scientists from the Geology, Water, and Geography Disciplines in your considerations of natural resources questions. Our diversity of scientific expertise enables the USGS to carry out large-scale, multi-disciplinary investigations, as well as provide information tools to decision-makers when they are addressing natural resource management needs. USGS personnel include scientists, technicians, information specialists and support staff, over 10,000 people located throughout the Nation in nearly 400 offices, who are available for collaboration at local, regional and national scales. I would like to encourage FWS personnel, as I have been encouraging USGS personnel, to make conscious efforts to contact their counterparts in the other bureau. Whether at the individual scientist level, station to station, or in more formalized management meetings, personal interactions in planning and evaluating our work jointly will be beneficial. One of our most prominent challenges is the changing face of our workforces. We are losing the ability to know who to call when an issue or problem arises that requires communication. By formalizing our communications and attending joint meetings, we are building relationships, while learning more about the issues facing both bureaus. Over time, this will mean greater effectiveness in our ability to meet both research and management needs. We pledge to continue addressing traditional research and monitoring needs for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service such as species at risk, Federally-listed species, invasive species, migratory birds, contaminants, fire ecology and management, inventory and monitoring protocols, and fisheries and aquatic resources. We also have strengthened our commitment to the technical support you need on critical issues. I realize that such activities as BBL, BBS, genetics, status surveys and fish and wildlife population monitoring are essential to FWS. The USGS commitment to these partnerships must be the production of timely and comprehensive information. We believe that our information system capabilities will be especially helpful in assisting us to meet that challenge. Recent increased communication and collaboration on these topics has started to strengthen the ability of both bureaus to be effective in some of these areas. I hope to build on this partnership. As I travel the country listening to our scientists and the resource managers they work with, I am struck by the many close collaborations we enjoy. From shorebird habitat, fish passage and manatees in the East, to big river fishes, prairie, savannah, and Gulf Coast wetlands in the South, to water and fire in the deserts, forests and chaparral of the West, our scientists are working together to understand increasingly contentious issues and conflicts on resource use and sustainability. In a recent joint memo, Steve Williams and I have set an expectation that we will renew our efforts to build further collaboration. I believe these excellent examples, many developed in an adaptive science/ adaptive management manner, will be the bread and butter of the future partnership between our bureaus. We are partnering with your Science Initiative in FY 05 to build resources into these types of efforts. Finally, I pledge continued USGS support to the reinvigorated partnership we initiated in June. I believe that all the capabilities of USGS scientists and programs should be seen as a resource to FWS as we jointly address the increasingly complex environmental changes on our landscapes. I hope you will call on us early and often as you face challenges in your work. Chip Groat, Director, USGS Biologists from Grand Canyon National Park and The Peregrine Fund have confirmed the fledging of the first California Condor nesting in Arizona in perhaps more than a century. The flight was observed at 1:30 pm on Wednesday, November 5, when a chick jumped from a perch; spiraled gracelessly down, and landed 500-600 feet below in a remote canyon. "Minutes after the chick landed it started to explore its environment, tugging on a yucca plant and hopping from boulder to boulder," said Sophie Osborn, Field Manager of The Peregrine Fund. "We waited and hoped so long for this to happen that being part of it was indescribable!" Osborn exclaimed. "Our biggest worry after the chick left the cave was how long it would take for the parents to find it," said Chad Olson, raptor technician for the National Park Service. "Both parents were away from the area when the chick fledged. To our great relief, female 127 flew to the nest about two hours after the chick fledged, realized the chick was not in the nest cave, immediately found it, and dropped down to feed it. Since fledging is such a dangerous time for the chick it is tremendous to be past this and on to another exciting phase." The chick is healthy and alert to its surroundings. Biologists are planning to attach telemetry equipment and assess overall health issues. The bird will be closely monitored. Continued on page 4 A young condor checks out the new digs. Photo: AZ Game and Fish Department.