A Condors Record
The Los Angeles Zoo is capping off its 2024 California condor breeding season with a record-breaking 17 chicks hatched – all of which will be candidates for release into the wild as part of the California Condor Recovery Program (CCRP). The 17th and final chick of the season hatched in June and is thriving. The previous record of 15 California condor chicks hatched at the L.A. Zoo was set in 1997.
“This is a historic moment for the California Condor Recovery Program and the Los Angeles Zoo’s animal care team,” said Rose Legato, Curator of Birds, Los Angeles Zoo. “Our condor team has raised the bar once again in the collaborative effort to save America’s largest flying bird from extinction.”
“The L.A. Zoo has been an integral partner in the recovery of the iconic California condor since the inception of the program in the 1980s when the species was at the brink of extinction,” said Denise M. Verret, Los Angeles Zoo CEO/Zoo Director and Club Member.
As of December 2023, there are 561 California condors in the world, of which 344 are living in the wild. The number fluctuates daily.
The California condor is the largest land bird in North America with wings spanning an amazing nine-and-a-half feet. Adult condors stand at around three feet and weigh 17 to 25 pounds.
While California condors are not on exhibit at the Zoo, guests have the opportunity to catch a glimpse of these critically endangered birds by participating in Condor Spotting, held daily (except Tuesdays) by Learning and Engagement staff from 12:30 to 1 p.m. at the picnic area next to the Angela Collier World of Birds Show Theater.
