A California condor flock by the Utah-Arizona border has taken a few hits over the past few years, between an avian flu outbreak, lead poisoning and poaching.
However, the critically endangered species is set to receive another boost in the region this weekend. The Peregrine Fund and the Bureau of Land Management are again teaming up to release five condors into the wild at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument just south of the Utah-Arizona border on Saturday, with the hope of rebuilding the flock’s population.
It’s part of National Public Lands Day festivities, a greater nationwide celebration of the country’s public lands.
“It is always exciting for us to have the opportunity to share our work with the public on National Public Lands Day. It is a reminder of the tremendous comeback by this once nearly extinct species and the hard work and dedication of those who have fought, and those who continue to fight, day in and day out to ensure we reach our ultimate goal of recovery,” said Tim Hauck, The Peregrine Fund’s California Condor Program Director, in a statement.
All five condors entering the wild were hatched at zoos through a program that replicates natural scenarios, so each bird knows how to live on its own in the wild before being released. This year’s batch of young condors hatched at the Oregon Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and has been transferred to Vermilion Cliffs National Monument for release to the wild.
People can watch the release in person or online, as the event will be streamed live. Google Maps offers directions to the release site through people who search for the Condor Viewing Site.
Festivities will begin at 10:30 a.m. Mountain before the release at noon. Those planning to attend in person are encouraged to bring a spotting scope or binoculars, sunscreen, a hat, water, snacks, a chair and layered clothing to handle the elements.
“We are excited to host this event once again on-site and virtually so that the scope and reach of this incredible and successful collaborative recovery effort can continue to inspire people worldwide,” said Robert Bate, manager of Vermilion Cliffs National Monument.
Condors have been regularly released at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument for nearly three decades through the California Condor Recovery Program, which helped save the species from near extinction not too long ago. California condor populations fell to as low as 22 in the 1980s amid environmental factors like poisoning from lead ammunition used in hunting.
There are now more than 560 California condors in the world, many of which are free-flying across Utah, Arizona, California, Oregon and Mexico. Initiatives that promote lead-free ammunition, such as Utah’s Hunters Helping Condors program, have also contributed to the species’ stabilization.
Yet, the Utah-Arizona flock has faced several setbacks over the last few years. It lost nearly two dozen birds to avian flu, while two more California condors were found dead in poaching incidents in Utah. 1K — a bird celebrated as the 1,000th California condor chick to hatch from the California Condor Recovery Program — also died from lead poisoning just before its fifth birthday last year.
Last year’s release, involving four condors, was the first release since those deaths. This year’s builds on that, as the species slowly continues to recover.
“That’s endangered species recovery in a nutshell,” Hauck told KSL.com last year. “It’s all highs and lows, and you have to ride those out.”
