Wildlife officials to release 4 captive-bred California condors in northern Arizona

PHOENIX — Conservationists in Arizona are set to take a big step forward in their efforts to save the California condor, a critically endangered species.

It might be more accurate to stay “a big flight forward” than a big step, though. Four California condors are set to officially soar out of captivity and into the wild on Sept. 28.

Specifically, the endangered condors will make their freedom flights at the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, which is in Coconino County.

Yearly releases big part of effort to save the California condor

The Peregrine Fund and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have hosted the yearly condor release since 1996.

For the first time since the tradition started, there was no release last year. It was called off to prevent infections after the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) killed 21 condors in the Utah-Arizona flock.

“This year’s condor release will be especially impactful given the losses we experienced in 2023 from HPAI and lead poisoning,” Tim Hauck, The Peregrine Fund’s California condor program director, said in a press release Tuesday.

There are around 560 California condors around the world. More than half of the critically endangered birds fly freely around Arizona, Utah, California and Mexico.

“With only 85 condors remaining in the Utah-Arizona flock and lead poisoning still a prominent issue, the release of these four condors will have a significant impact on the recovery program,” Hauck said.

This moment is especially triumphant for animal conservationists

One of the condors to be released this month is Milagra. She was a hatchling whose mother died from HPAI prior to her birth.

Officials brought the young bird to The Peregrine Fund’s propagation facility in Boise, Idaho. Two condors in the facility adopted her as their own.

Over the past year, Milagra has been attending “Condor School” with other nestlings, learning how to fly and socialize with other birds.

Milagra is now ready to be returned to the wild with three other California condors.

Watch the annual event to save the California condor

This year, bird lovers can watch an online livestream of the yearly release to save the California condor. It begins at 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 28.

The condor team can’t predict exactly when the birds will leave their release pen and enter the wild. To keep viewers engaged and educated, the livestream will include videos and interviews with biologists and conservationists. In addition, the experts will answer viewer questions.

“The California condor release this year is not just a celebration of these four condors,” Hauck said. “It is a moment of triumph for the biologists, volunteers, wildlife rehabilitators, recovery partners, and supporters who persevered through the last year.”