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Regarded as one of the rarest birds in the world, the California condor is the largest bird in North America with a wingspan up to 9 1/2 feet and weighing up to 23 pounds.
Condor numbers dramatically declined in the 20th century due to poaching, lead poisoning, and habitat destruction. A conservation plan was put in place that led to the capture of all 22 remaining wild condors in 1987. These surviving birds were bred and numbers rose through captive breeding and beginning in 1991, condors have been reintroduced into the wild. The California Condor is one of the world's rarest bird species: as of May, the population counts put the number of known condors at 405, with 226 living in the wild.
On July 14, the Division of Wildlife Resources will host its annual California condor viewing event. Dubbed "The Day of the Condor," the free event runs from 8 a.m. to noon on the Kolob Reservoir Road two miles south of the reservoir. For more information event, check out our calendar page, you'll find it on our outdoors website at KSLTV.com
