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Gymnogyps californianus
Flying over Cedar Ridge.
Large Canyon. All elevations from 2000' Sonoran Desert to 9000' Boreal Forest/meadows.
First time seeing a condor in the Grand Canyon. Had seen two juveniles in 1997 at Navajo Bridge, AZ.
Spotted on Apr 14, 2005
Submitted on Jul 11, 2013
6 Comments
Feel you, hannawacker.
I know how you feel. As a park ranger at Grand Canyon, it's my duty to describe this remarkable bird and the fact that people caused their extinction, yet our compassion is the only hope they have to survive.
Here's the thing, Gilma, and maybe I'm telling you something you already know. The California Condor is, technically, extinct. Years ago, conservationists captured all the birds alive in the wild, a low-low number, like a hundred or so, and started a breeding and release program. So now, there are a small but growing number of California Condors in the world, but they're still dependent on support from humans. At least to the degree that they can't be removed from the "extinct" list. This is why seeing one in the wild is always a cause for celebration, a reason to believe they're coming back ... this awe-inspiring bird, important in its own right, but also for its significance in native Anerican culture. Blah, blah, don't mean to be preachy. Sorry.
WOW!! Spent a life-time in California and never knew about this gorgeous Bird. And so close to home!! Thank you so much for sharing, hannawacker.
The California Condor has been a rare success story. Love it.
Always great to see a California Condor in the wild. Always. Thanks for sharing ... good news.