Vaccine authorized for emergency use in California condors amid bird flu outbreak

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California condors will receive a vaccine for a deadly strain of avian influenza that threatens the already critically endangered vulture species. Federal officials said Tuesday emergency approval has been granted for use of the vaccine after more than a dozen condors recently died from the bird flu, known as H5N1. There are fewer than 350 California condors in the wild, in flocks spanning from the Pacific Northwest to Baja California, Mexico. A pilot safety study will begin this month with North American vultures, a similar species. That will allow investigators to check for any adverse effects before giving the vaccine to the endangered condors.