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The analysis of factors that determine the distribution of top‐scavengers at large scales can provide clues to understanding important ecological processes and may be useful in establishing conservation and management strategies. Here, we conducted a large‐scale survey to study the distribution of the threatened Andean Condor Vultur gryphus in relation to environmental factors in southern Patagonia. This area has undergone the settlement of livestock and the introduction of exotic wildlife, although to a lesser extent than in the distribution of Condors in northern Patagonia. The aim of this study was to determine the relevance of different factors such as the availability of food resources, the availability of suitable nesting and roosting places and the presence of humans on large‐scale condor distribution. Our results show that the presence of meadows was the primary factor shaping Andean Condor distribution, despite the fact that this habitat occupies only 4% of the Patagonian landscapes. However, this habitat has a high probability of herbivore presence, so Condors seem to optimize their searching. The availability of nesting and roosting cliffs also contributed to explaining the observed distributions. Our results suggest that Condor distribution in southern Patagonia is a compromise between the spatial locations of two low‐frequency habitats – meadows and cliffs. A successful Condor conservation strategy in southern Patagonia should include the protection of these habitats and the regulation of farming expansion, including the recovery of meadows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potential exposure of the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) to pharmaceuticals is of high conservation interest, as these compounds can produce catastrophic consequences for populations of avian scavengers. Due to the extensive livestock management in most of Patagonia, we expected Andean condors to be rarely exposed to veterinary pharmaceuticals through scavenging of free-ranging livestock. Unexpectedly, we found a high prevalence (78.6 %) of pharmaceuticals in the plasma of a small sample of randomly captured condors (n = 14), of all age classes and sexes. The antibiotic enrofloxacin was detected in all 11 drug-positive condors (78.6 %). Two antibiotics and two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were found simultaneously or in combinations of two or three different pharmaceuticals in 3 of the 14 (21.4 %) condors: marbofloxacin and phenylbutazone were found in a single adult female together with enrofloxacin, while flunixin meglumine was found in two adult males and also in the presence of enrofloxacin. Our study suggests that livestock grazing in the vast Patagonian region may be subject to more frequent medication than expected a priori. Today, it should not be assumed that livestock in remote, sparsely populated, or low-income areas are free of veterinary pharmaceuticals with a possible negative impact on wildlife and public health. • Pharmaceuticals can produce catastrophic consequences to scavenger populations. • A high prevalence of pharmaceuticals was found in plasma of wild Andean condors. • Two antibiotics and two NSAIDs were found. • A proportion of Andean condors showed pharmaceutical mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile species face an array of human threats across political boundaries, and their protection relies on identifying and prioritizing areas for conservation. Large avian scavengers are one of the widest ranging and most threatened species globally, and efforts to preserve them have come to the forefront of wildlife management. Vultures require access to functionally distinct habitats for roosting, foraging and flying, yet behavior-specific habitat modelling has been overlooked in management planning. Herein, we developed a spatial prioritization model for the threatened Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) that integrates activity-specific habitat selection across heterogeneous landscapes. We tracked 35 individuals in two regions of Argentina and Chile differing in topography and vegetation composition, and analyzed how landscape covariates influence where condors roost, forage and fly, while accounting for individual differences. We found that individuals responded differently to environmental covariates during each behavior, and identified regional differences for some covariates dependent on behavioral state. We also found important individual differences in habitat selection between birds inhabiting each region. We combined these results into an ensemble spatial prioritization model, and found that most areas of high priority for Andean condor conservation are not under protection. The strategic implementation of conservation measures in these priority areas could have important implications for the recovery of this species. Our study illustrates the value of integrating behavioral- and individual-specific habitat analyses into spatial conservation planning, and points to opportunities for effective management of threatened vultures. • We tracked 35 Andean condors to assess habitat selection in their southern range. • Andean condors selected different areas during foraging, roosting and flying. • We observed important individual variability in Andean condor habitat selection. • We developed the first spatial prioritization model for Andean condor conservation. • Most areas of high priority for condor conservation are currently unprotected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]