A record number of wild California Condor chicks have been documented in the Southwest this year. One of the formerly endangered birds hatched near the Grand Canyon earlier this month.
The park’s wildlife program monitors condor activity, population, nests and overall health within park boundaries.
Grand Canyon spokeswoman Lily Daniels said in the 1980s, there were only 22 condors left in the world.
“So they were brought into captivity under the California Condor Recovery Program to save the species from extinction." Daniels said. "Back in 1996, six captive bred condors were released into the Southwestern wild population area.”
The Southwestern recovery effort is part of a cooperative program with other federal, state and private entities.
