2024 California Condor Release, Vermilion Cliffs, AZ

About this campaign

It is that time of year again and a great time to support California Condors! The Peregrine Fund and Bureau of Land Management at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument are hosting a celebration on National Public Lands Day, Saturday, September 28th by releasing four captive-bred California Condors at noon MST (1 p.m. MDT) to take their first flights in the wild. The event will be held in person at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument for anyone interested in traveling to the area. It will also will be live-streamed via The Peregrine Fund’s YouTube Channel.

The first California Condor release at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument was on December 12, 1996. 2023 marked the first year a release did not take place due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), which killed a total of 21 condors in the Utah- Arizona flock. To prevent additional infections, no condors were released until it was determined the outbreak had ceased. During the outbreak, one California Condor nestling, “Milagra,” made national news with her inspirational story of perseverance in a time of tragedy. Before hatching, her mother died from HPAI, and Milagra hatched at Liberty Wildlife before being transported to The Peregrine Fund’s propagation facility to be raised by foster parents. After over a year in The Peregrine Fund’s care, she is set to enter the wild at the 2024 release event. This year’s T-shirt will commemorate a homecoming for Milagra.

The Peregrine Fund’s California Condor Program Director Tim Hauck says, “This year's condor release will be especially impactful given the losses we experienced in 2023 from HPAI and lead poisoning. With only 85 condors remaining in the Utah-Arizona flock and lead poisoning still a prominent issue, the release of these four condors will have a significant impact on the recovery program. But the California Condor Release this year is not just a celebration of these four condors, it is a moment of triumph for the biologists, volunteers, wildlife rehabilitators, recovery partners, and supporters who persevered through the last year.”

Visit our event page for more information about the event or schedule a reminder to watch the livestream.

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