A lawsuit to overturn the approval of Tejon Mountain Village – a luxury development which will destroy fragile California condor habitat – has been filed by a coalition of environmental justice advocates, Native Americans, endangered species advocates, and local residents.

The Center for Biological Diversity, Wishtoyo Foundation, TriCounty Watchdogs, and the Center on Race, Poverty & The Environment filed the suit under the California Environmental Quality Act in Kern County Superior Court in Bakersfield.

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Today the Center for Biological Diversity announced that the winner of its third annual Rubber Dodo Award is Michael Winer, portfolio manager for Third Avenue Management, LLC (“TAREX”).

The Center for Biological Diversity awards the Rubber Dodo each year to the person who has contributed the most to driving endangered species extinct. Winer was selected this year for his leadership role in Third Avenue Management, LLC (“TAREX”), a giant real-estate investment firm responsible for unsustainable sprawl in California and Florida – and the driving force behind the proposed destruction of Tejon Ranch with a luxury development known as Tejon Mountain Village.

Last year’s recipient was former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

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Did you know there are only 358 critically endangered California condors left?

In 1980, the wild population of California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) was thought to consist of just five breeding pairs. In 1987, the species became extinct in the wild when the last wild California condors were taken into captivity to become part of a captive breeding program – the only way to save the species.

Today, thanks to that decision to start a captive breeding program, 189 California condors are flying free and 169 are in captivity. To help raise awareness for these majestic birds, here is a compilation of incredible California condor facts and a photo gallery of some of the most unusual faces you’ve ever seen. Enjoy!

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Tejon Ranch Company (TRC) has received the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA) for its PR scheme designed to distract the public from condor-killing real estate development plans.

Apparently, in Schwarzenegger’s California, the development of a luxury mountain resort in the middle of designated California condor habitat is an award-winning event.

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The Kern County Planning Commission has approved development plans for an exclusive gated community featuring luxury homes, golf courses, and hotels in the middle of designated California condor habitat.

Thanks to an elaborate marketing and PR campaign by Tejon Ranch Company (TRC), a massive development project in the heart of California condor habitat has been given the green light by the Kern County Planning Commission.

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Red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus)

Status: Critically Endangered. Population Trend: Decreasing. Range: Bangladesh; Cambodia; China; India; Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Myanmar; Nepal; Thailand; Viet Nam. Possibly extinct in Malaysia; occasional straggler in Pakistan.

Image: flickr.com/schizoform/ / CC BY 2.0

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A luxury-home subdivision in the heart of designated California Condor habitat?

That’s exactly what Tejon Ranch Company (TRC) has in mind.

In fact, Tejon Ranch Company (TRC) has had it in for the California Condors since at least 1997. That’s when they sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to prevent the reintroduction of the species into Southern California.

Why would TRC be opposed to the reintroduction of California Condors?

Because TRC would be prevented from developing any land that is designated California Condor habitat. And if a publicly traded real estate development company can’t develop real estate …. well, then they can’t make a profit.

In fact, TRC has gone to tremendous lengths to push their development deal through. Under the cloak of a “habitat conservation plan” – to mitigate “incidental take” of threatened or endangered species – they even finagled the support of major environmental organizations, like the Sierra Club.

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