Drinking a beer at the Oregon Zoo can now help save the endangered California condor.
Condor Kolsch, brewed by Rogue Ales and released in partnership with the Oregon Zoo Foundation, is available on draft at the zoo, at Rogue pubs and in 22 ounce bottles in retail stores throughout Oregon.
A portion of the proceeds from each pint and bottle sold will be donated to the California condor recovery project at the Oregon Zoo.
California condors, the largest land birds in North America with wingspans of nearly 10 feet, were one of the original animals included in the 1973 Endangered Species Act.
By the 1980s, only 22 remained in the wild, and all were brought under human care to save the species.
Thanks to breeding programs like the Oregon Zoo’s, the world’s California condor population now totals more than 460 birds, most of which are flying free.
(Learn More. Numbering fewer than 30 birds in the 1980’s, the California condor is now one of the greatest conservation successes in the world thanks to zoos and their partners. Courtesy of Rogue Ales & Spirits and YouTube. Posted on May 23, 2018)
“Condors are native to the Pacific Northwest and were commonly seen here during the Lewis and Clark Expedition,” noted Dr. Don Moore, Oregon Zoo director.
“Ultimately, we’d love to see them return to the skies over Oregon.”
Accumulated lead poisoning—a problem that plagues bald eagles, golden eagles and all raptors and scavengers—is the most severe obstacle to the California condor’s recovery as a species.
“We are happy to support the recovery effort of the California condor by brewing a beer for the Oregon Zoo,” says Rogue President Brett Joyce.
“Supporting the local community—both the people and the animals—is in Rogue’s DNA. In order to lease our first building in 1988, we had to promise Mo Niemi (of the famous Mo’s) that we would give back and ‘feed the fishermen.’”
“The Condor Kolsch project helps us fulfill our first promise, and we are happy to do it.”
Condor Kolsch is available on draft at the Oregon Zoo and at Rogue pubs, as well as in 22 ounce bottles in select retailers in Oregon.
(See More. From a population low of 22 birds in 1989, there are now more than 400 condors, with half flying free. Since 2004, 47 Oregon Zoo-reared condors have been released into wild areas in California and Arizona. Seven are currently breeding in the wild. Courtesy of the Oregon Zoo and YouTube. Posted on Jan 23, 2017)
The Oregon Zoo is committed to conservation and is currently working to save endangered California condors, Oregon silverspot and Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies, western pond turtles, Oregon spotted frogs and northern leopard frogs.
Other projects focused on saving animals from extinction include studies on Asian elephants, polar bears, orangutans and cheetahs.
Support from the Oregon Zoo Foundation enhances and expands the zoo’s efforts in conservation, education and animal welfare. Members, donors and corporate and foundation partners help the zoo make a difference across the region and around the world.
Rogue Ales & Spirits, the only farmer-brewer-distiller-cooper in the United States, was founded in Oregon in 1988 as one of America’s first microbreweries.
Rogue has won more than 1,900 awards for taste, quality and packaging, and is available in all 50 states as well as 54 countries. Proudly rooted in Oregon soil, Rogue’s beers, spirits and sodas are made with ingredients grown on Rogue Farms in the Tygh Valley and in Independence, Oregon.
(Learn More Rogue Ales. Dedicated to the Oregon Coast they set out to brew a huge West Coast IPA which would repeatedly and increasingly satisfy the thirstiest hop heads. Bursting with Citra, Mosaic, and Comet hops, Straight Outta Newport packs a wallop of citrus aromas and fruit flavors to create a beer unlike any other we’ve ever brewed. Enjoy… enjoy… and enjoy again, fellow hop heads. Courtesy of Rogue Ales & Spirits and YouTube. Posted on Dec 20, 2017)
