Photo ©: D. Moen
In Oregon, Lewis and Clark were awestruck by the largest bird they encountered: the California condor. With its nearly 10-foot wingspan and intelligent behavior, the captains were rightly fascinated. Ironically, as settlers moved into the Northwest, the great birds began to die off. The last official sighting of a condor in Oregon was in 1904, and by 1987 only 27 birds existed anywhere.
Photo ©: C. WestThe California Condor Recovery Program began reintroducing birds to the wild in 1992, and thanks to continued efforts from its recovery partners, there are now more than 160 condors flying free in California, Arizona and Mexico. In a remote area with enough space for 64 total birds, including 16 breeding pairs, the Oregon Zoo's breeding facility is one of only four in the country.
Including the three condors released in fall 2009, a total of 10 Oregon Zoo-reared birds are flying free in the wild. Each new egg, hatchling, fledged chick and released bird brings greater hope for this wondrous member of our community.
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