As humans emerged from lockdown blinking into the sunlight, California condors inspected an area of the Sierra Nevada Mountains once part of their historic range. In late May, at least six condors were spotted in Sequoia National Park for the first time in at least thirty years. The National Park and US Fish and Wildlife services announced that four were seen flying near the Giant Forest and at least two near Moro Rock, a prominent granite dome. Condors were regularly seen in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks until the late 1970s when sightings became rare as the population declined.
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Before their near extinction, the birds were known to nest in the cavities of giant sequoias throughout the Sierra Nevada. Wildlife biologists at the Santa Barbara Zoo now use GPS devices to track their movements, and were able to confirm condors had returned to the towering trees and cliffs within the national park.
“We use GPS transmitters to track the birds’ movement, which can be over hundreds of miles on a single day,” said Dave Meyer, one of the zoo’s biologists. “On this particular day we documented the birds’ signals around Giant Forest, and we are excited that park employees observed the birds and confirmed their use of this important historic habitat.” [...]
The flock is continuing to expand its range and can now be found in parts of Ventura, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Kern, Tulare, Fresno and Madera counties, and the Sierra Nevada mountains and adjacent foothills. Condors have also returned to California’s Central Coast, including Pinnacles National Park, as well as Arizona, Utah and Baja California.
Previous stories on California condor milestones
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