III. Back from the Brink
California condor
Index Naturae
IN 1.10.03-J
California condor
Gymnogyps californianus
Young portrait
III. Back from the Brink
Field notes
The California condor rides rising air over an immense landscape, searching for the remains of large animals. A scavenger rather than a hunter, it links remote cliffs with open feeding grounds. Its return to the wild grew from a dedicated captive-breeding and release programme.
- Range
- Reintroduced populations in western North America, including California, Arizona and Baja California.
- Habitat
- Open foraging country near mountains and cliffs, with sheltered caves or tree cavities for nesting.
Conservation
Reintroductions have restored wild condors, but recovery remains unfinished. Lead poisoning from fragments of ammunition in carcasses is a major cause of mortality, requiring continued prevention, monitoring and intervention alongside breeding and release work.
Sources & conservation context
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — California Condor
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife — California Condor
Source review: 6 October 2026. Assessment dates, where given, belong to the cited source.