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KANAB — Tim Hauck remembers all too well the horror that played out within the Arizona-Utah flock of California condors in March 2023.
It all started when biologists with The Peregrine Fund observed a condor exhibiting signs of illness. They believed the bird was probably suffering from lead poisoning since it's a large reason that the species was brought to the brink of extinction four decades ago. They tracked it until it died and recovered its carcass from beneath its nest for testing.
However, a little more than a week later, biologists learned that they were dealing with something far worse than a singular lead poisoning case. The bird died of a subtype of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus that has killed millions of birds in recent years. Within weeks, the virus swept through the flock quickly, ultimately killing 21 critically endangered condors.
"It was difficult," said Hauck, California condor program director for The Peregrine Fund, as he reflected on the outbreak more than a year later. "To lose a single bird in a population of just over 100 is hard because every single individual is important for the future of the species. To lose 21 within three weeks is significantly harder."
The flock — which also suffered other setbacks over the past couple of years — is now about to receive a much-needed boost. The Peregrine Fund, in conjunction with various federal and state agencies, is planning to release four young California condors into the wild during an event at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in northern Arizona this weekend.
It's the region's first condor release since the outbreak.
Attendees will be able to watch the condors take flight from a safe distance while enjoying other festivities, such as a silent art auction and a condor memorabilia raffle. A livestream of the bird release will also be set up for those who cannot make it in person.
"We are excited to host this event once again on site and virtually so that the scope and reach of this incredible and successful collaborative recovery effort can continue to inspire people worldwide," said Robert Bate, the monument's manager, in a statement.
Hitting a low in condor recovery
California condors are considered an important species in the southern Utah and northern Arizona ecosystems because the scavengers remove toxins and diseases from dead animals. However, they have been considered an endangered species since 1967. The number of California condors in the world dropped to as low as 22 in the 1980s because of several factors, such as lead poisoning often caused by ammunition, Utah wildlife officials note.
There are now over 500 across Utah, Arizona, California and Mexico thanks to efforts to combat the problems that nearly killed off the species and multiagency recovery programs created to save the species. Through these programs, condor releases at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument became an annual tradition beginning in 1996.
According to 2022 field estimates, the flock's population had reached 116 before the avian flu arrived. The outbreak became the latest setback in recovery efforts and put a pause on releasing new condors into the wild, but it wasn't the only thing to harm the flock.
Utah wildlife officials reported earlier this year that two condors had recently been illegally killed in Utah. Then, in August, The Peregrine Fund announced that 1K, the first California condor chick to successfully fledge at Zion National Park, had died from lead poisoning.
There are now about 85 California condors across Arizona and Utah, per the most recent estimate.
"That's endangered species recovery in a nutshell," Hauck told KSL.com. "It's all highs and lows, and you have to ride those out."
Raising hope
Biologists found hope sitting in the nest of condor No. 316, one of the birds that died during the avian flu outbreak. They had observed her male partner, No. 680, dutifully watching over the egg she laid after her death. But since No. 680 was considered potentially sick and likely unable to help the egg successfully hatch, they swooped in and rescued it.
The egg was taken to the Liberty Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Phoenix where it successfully hatched. The young bird, named Milagra, or No. 1221, was then transferred to a Peregrine Fund facility in Boise, Idaho, where it was raised over the past year and a half.
Three other young condors were raised in similar environments with parents or foster parents in partnerships with Western zoos. All four birds were moved to social breeding facilities about a year ago after reaching the fledgling age, where they are given a leg up on learning to live on their own in the wild before being released.
They are now ready to be released in northern Arizona on Saturday, which will mark Milagra's homecoming. An in-person event will take place at the House Rock Valley, looking up at the cliffs about a mile away so the condors can enter their new home safely.
Those who can't make it can stream the release live on YouTube. An online program will begin at 12:30 p.m. Mountain before the birds are released at 1 p.m., or noon local time.
Hauck, a self-described eternal optimist, said he believes the release will start a new chapter in ongoing condor recovery efforts as biologists press forward after the recent setback. He expects that the resilient species will bounce back.
"I know this can be successful regardless of this release," he said. "But to be a part of this release and seeing right in front of your eyes four birds added to the population — that's special. That's something worth celebrating."
