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On February 13, 2003, a hunter shot and killed an endangered California condor on the Tejon Ranch in southern California. The hunter was participating in the Pig-O-Rama, a pig hunt organized and sponsored by the Tejon Ranch Company (TRC). Although the hunter was nominally fined, no action was taken regarding TRC, even though they might be liable for the killing under state and federal law.

TRC has long opposed the condor recovery program. In 1997, TRC filed a federal lawsuit to halt condor reintroduction and to remove protections for condors. Now they are seeking an Incidental Take Permit that would allow them to kill or harm California condors on Tejon Ranch. If granted, this would be the first such take permit ever issued for the condor, which is perilously close to extinction even after years of recovery efforts. Allowing killing, harm, or harassment of a single condor is unacceptable. Instead of being rewarded for their efforts to thwart the condor's recovery, TRC should be investigated and possibly prosecuted for the condor's death.

Write to the California Attorney General and California EPA and urge them to investigate Tejon Ranch Company's culpability in the death of condor AC-8, and insist that they prevent further killing or harm of California condors.