The Grand Canyon is so big it can be tough to spot a condor, but experts suggest some of the best places are along the South Rim near the Bright Angel Trail. The Utah Department of Wildlife Resources put together this video about the return of the California Condor to Utah. Though there are still roughly 100 condors in captivity, more than 100 condors are wild within the southwest and Baja California. There have even been several wild-born condors within the Grand Canyon. Since the initial release, approximately 70 condors now inhabit parts of Arizona and Utah. The release meant wild condors were flying over the Grand Canyon for the first time in 70 years.

In 1996 the first batch of six captivity-bred condors were released within Arizona 30 miles from the Grand Canyon. In 1992 several condors were released back into the wild within California. During this time the population increased from 27 to approximately 150 condors helping stabilize the population. From 1987 to 1992 condors could only be found in captivity. In 1985 only nine wild birds remained and in a controversial decision scientists decided to bring them into captivity. The parents continue to lay eggsвЂ“ sometimes up to three eggs a year.Д«ut it wasnвЂ™t always smooth sailing. When the egg hatches the scientists use a large hand puppet in the shape of a condor to raise the baby bird. In order to do this, scientists would take the egg from the birds once they were laid and use an incubator to look after the egg until it hatched. Fish and Wildlife Service began an initiative to breed the condors in captivity with help from the San Diego Wild Animal Park and Los Angeles Zoo.Д¬ondors typically mate for life and lay one egg roughly every year or so, so scientists knew that in order to bring the population back to sustainable numbers they would need to streamline the process. In 1967 after the condorsвЂ™ numbers had fallen into the double digits, the condor was placed on the federal endangered species list and scientists banded together to try and help solve the problem of the condorвЂ™s dwindling population. California condor at the Grand Canyon (Photo: Scott Young) Saving the Condor Population The condor, which had once roamed across a large portion of North America, was nearly extinct. The population dwindled and near the end of the 1930s it was reported that no condors lived outside of California. Like vultures, condors are scavengers that feed on carrion when they dined on animals shot with lead bullets, the birds ingested the toxic lead, too. After that, condor numbers plunged because of hunting, poisoning, habitat loss, and especially lead poisoning. But populations remained steady on the West Coast, from British Columbia to Mexico, until European settlers moved in. Condor flying in the Grand Canyon (Photo: Depositphotos)Д¬ondors used to soar over most of the Lower 48 states until about 10,000 years ago, when their numbers dropped dramatically right around the time that mastodons and saber-tooth cats went extinct. Today, the world population stands at 500 condors, if you include those living in captivity, and more than half of them are living wild in California, Utah, Arizona and Baja California, as of 2022. Fish and Wildlife Service and several partner zoos, a captive breeding and reintroduction program pulled the magnificent birds back from the edge of extinction. In fact, in 1982, only 22 condors remained in the world. Not so long ago, there werenвЂ™t any condors at the Grand Canyon. That might sound small, but the number represents a smashing success. And that makes you very lucky indeed, because the condor is one of the rarest birds in the world.ДЄbout 70 condors inhabit the skies of northern Arizona and Utah. Look closer: bald red head, wide wingspan, triangular white patches under the wings вЂ“ itвЂ™s a California condor. If youвЂ™re lucky, you might spot a huge black shape riding the thermals over the canyon. Stand on any South Rim overlook and turn your eyes to the sky.

Condor vs vulture