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Endangered Condors to Return to Northern California Skies After Nearly a Century
Partners help the nation’s largest land bird, the California condor, return to the northern portion of its historic range.
Social & Lifestyle
For the first time in 100 years, the endangered California condor will return to the Pacific Northwest.
Once on the brink of extinction, this iconic species has made significant steps towards recovery.
This month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and the Yurok Tribe announced a final rule that will help facilitate the creation of a new California condor release facility for the reintroduction of condors to Yurok Ancestral Territory and Redwood National Park, which is in the northern portion of the species’ historic range.
The rule will designate the condors affiliated with this program as a nonessential, experimental population under the Endangered Species Act.
This status will provide needed flexibility in managing the reintroduced population, reduce the regulatory impact of reintroducing a federally listed species, and facilitate cooperative conservation.
“The California condor is a shining example of how a species can be brought back from the brink of extinction through the power of partnerships,” said Paul Souza, Regional Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s California-Great Basin Region. Together, we can help recover and conserve this magnificent species for future generations.”
With a wingspan of almost 10 feet, the California condor is the largest soaring land bird in North America. These massive vultures are essential members of their ecosystems and play a significant role in the spiritual and cultural beliefs of the Yurok Tribe, as well as many other Tribes throughout northern California and the Pacific Northwest.