In 1987, the 22 remaining wild California Condors were rounded up in a desperate effort to save the species. Thanks to the combined efforts of agencies, nonprofits, zoos, universities and others, this species is back from the brink. There are now 439 California Condors — mostly free-flying but also some captive individuals for breeding purposes.
My Naturalist Journeys (NJ) group and I were fortunate to see 11 California Condors on a recent Canyon Adventure in Condor Country tour in Northern Arizona and Southern Utah. Our first sighting took place in the middle of a geology presentation by a park ranger on the South Rim of Grand Canyon. He was doing an excellent job distilling the complicated geologic story into lay terms when a huge bird soared 30 feet directly overhead and glided majestically into the canyon with its over-sized wings and white underside. It silenced the presentation. Pat Leuders, the other NJ guide finally whispered “California Condor.” The park ranger confirmed this identification and deftly moved into a summary of the remarkable recovery of this species.
Their size is the first thing you notice. The largest bird species in the United States, California Condors have a 9.8 foot wingspan and can weigh up to 26 pounds. Previously, their range spanned Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, California and the Pacific Northwest. Lewis and Clark recorded them along the Columbia River on the current Oregon/Washington border. Today, California Condors can be found in southern Utah, Northern Arizona, and the coastal mountains of central California and in Baja California.
The comeback of the Condors has been miraculous. We witnessed the 18th annual release ceremony that added three California Condors to the wild population. Situated below the aptly named Vermilion Cliffs in the midst of a 300,000-acre National Monument, it would be hard to find a more spectacular setting for this event. Although dark clouds loomed, and we drove through rain showers on the way, this event occurred during a short window of fair weather.
Some 100 people were on hand, many with scopes and binoculars to watch the spectacle. Vendors sold pottery, artwork, t-shirts and hats.
Appropriately, the release occurred on the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. If it were not for public lands like Vermilion Cliffs, Condors probably would not have sufficient habitat in which to re-establish their population.
Representatives of wildlife and land management agencies spoke, the Boy Scouts of Page, Arizona led a flag procession. Chris Parish, Condor Program Director at the Peregrine Fund, gave a brief history of the demise of the California Condor, followed by their re-introduction through captive breeding programs.
Soon afterward, the count-down to release took place. Two Condors took to the air immediately, soaring over the tops of the cliff along their crimson rock faces. Eventually, the third condor joined them, so that for a brief time, all three were soaring together. Our group was deeply moved by the experience. Minutes after the release, storm clouds moved in, and the wind blew up. We headed to our cars for shelter as the rain pelted down on us. Somehow, the dramatic weather encore fit the occasion.
Bringing these majestic birds back was not easy. There were and still are major impediments to the recovery of their population. For starters, female California Condors lay only one egg per nesting attempt and do not always nest annually. It takes six-eight years for young Condors to reach reproductive maturity. Nest predators, including Golden Eagles, Ravens and Black Bear threaten the survival of the egg and the juvenile Condor. Once the Condor has hatched, it is dependent upon its parents for more than one full year until it fledges.
Captive breeding programs in Los Angeles and San Diego Zoos were initially key to bringing the population back. The Peregrine Fund has since led Condor recovery efforts, releasing more than 149 captively-bred Condors to the wild. Double-clutching techniques, where an egg is removed from the parent, causing them to lay another, and then incubating and raising the other hatchling with a surrogate parent (sometimes a puppet) has worked with Condors as it has for other endangered bird species.
Once released, Condors need large expanses of habitat where they can soar up to 150 miles at speeds up to 55 mph each day in search of food.
Since they are so large and heavy, in order to get airborne, they need either a running start or a launch from a steep cliff face into a strong wind. The steep cliffs and their associated crevices and ledges provide both nesting and launching sites for Condors.
Now that Condors are re-populating parts of their original range, the leading cause of fatality is lead poisoning. This is due to lead shot used in hunting that often is found in the carcasses that the Condors eat.
Chris Parish spoke to our group about Condor Recovery and the lead poisoning challenge. Parish has been involved in Condor research and recovery efforts since 1997. The ultimate goal of these efforts is to attain a sustainable wild population of Condors. Parish and others have studied how lead gets into carrion and then into Condors, along with finding effective ways to reduce the use of lead bullets. Significant political challenges lie ahead.
If healthy, wild Condors can live up to 60 years. Some of the released wild birds are now in their 40s – an extraordinarily old age for birds of any species.
Seeing the release and recovery of California Condors was inspiring. It was also a poignant reminder that humans can not only destroy, but also can restore endangered populations of wildlife. The California Condor is a perfect and hopefully this time, lasting icon of Grand Canyon country.
