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The California condor, North America's largest bird, once ruled the American Southwest and California's coastal mountains. The vulture-like bird was 

 and was believed to contain spiritual powers.


Hundreds of years later, its future seemed irreversibly bleak. But defying the odds, conservation efforts brought the species back and prevented it from joining the dodo in extinction.

Now, condor reintroduction celebrates a milestone: Chick No. 1,000 has hatched.

In the 1980s, less than two dozen condors were left in the world. Conservationists rounded up the remaining condors and began breeding them in captivity.

International Union for Conservation of Nature

, the condor became critically endangered in the 20th century — one classification behind extinct in the wild. 

came from poaching, habitat destruction and lead poisoning as condors 

scavenged for carrion containing lead shots

Today, more than 300 California condors exist in the wild. Including captivity breeding programs, there are more than 500 in the world, says Tim Hauck, the condor program manager at the Peregrine Fund.

The 1,000th successful birth signifies an optimistic future for the condor recovery mission.

"We're seeing more chicks born in the wild than we ever have before," Hauck told NPR's Scott Simon. "And that's just a step towards success for the condor and achieving a sustainable population."

The hatchling is currently in Zion National Park — it emerged from its shell in May, but its survival was just confirmed in July. The chick, whose sex cannot be identified without a blood test, will fledge or take flight for the first time in November.


If the chick successfully leaves the nest, it can expect to someday 

, or the size of a 6-foot-tall man. The bird's average lifespan is 60 years, one of the world's longest-living bird species.

Beyond its outsize proportions, the California condor is special for a number of reasons.

"Condors are one of the very unique species of birds in North America and in the world, for that matter. They're extremely personable," Hauck says. "They'll have individual personalities. And as biologists, we really get to know these birds on a one-to-one level, so they end up meaning quite a bit to us, and we get quite attached."

His work in withstanding condor extinction is far from over, but for now, Hauck is celebrating.


"Here's to seeing that population increase every year," Hauck says.  

Environmental News

Scott Simon

Author

Josh Axelrod

In the 1980s, there were less than two dozen California condors left. Today, more than 500 exist in the world, thanks to the efforts of conservationists.

Once nearly extinct, California condor comeback reaches 1,000 chicks

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