Name: Xewe
Studbook #64

Xewe hatched at the Los Angeles Zoo on April 8, 1991. She was slated to stay in captivity for genetic reasons, because one of the six offspring should be held in captivity to genetically safeguard the founders in her family line. However, by chance, her brother fell ill and lost his candidacy to be released. Xewe took his place and joined Chocuyens (#66) on January 14, 1992, to be the first condors to be released to the wild after the total population capture in 1987.

Xewe was shot at several times near Pyramid Lake in Southern California, but thankfully was not hit. She and seven others were later re-captured in 1994 because they began using power poles as perches. This dangerous habit was curtailed in condors that were released after Xewe through power pole aversion training. In captivity, she became a model mentor of young birds in pre-release pens at Ventana, Hopper, and Baja release sites. If all goes as planned, she will be released to the wild in Baja sometime in 2008.

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