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Friends of the California Condors Wild and Free – Home Page

Friends of California Condors Wild & Free is a nonprofit 501c3 organization that has the mission to enhance public awareness of the endangered California Condor and ensure that they are protected, healthy, and free.  This is being done in collaboration with the Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex and other organizations. 

We are a group of dedicated volunteers that provide educational and outreach programs through community presentations, conduct guided tours on the condor refuges, keep developmental records of young condors at nest sites, and participate in microtrash reduction.

In 1987 California condors were on the verge of extinction, only 27 alive, as the last free flying condor, AC9, was taken from the wild.  With the help of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Condor Recovery Program, and public support, AC9 and other condors were returned to their natural habitat beginning in 1992.

The greatest threat to the California Condors living in the wild is lead. The primary source is from lead fragments that the California Condors eat along with the meat from animals shot within their feeding range.  More information on alternatives to lead ammunition can be found at www.huntingwithnonlead.org.

Find details for upcoming events on our activities page.

 Today there are  404 California Condors, of those 234 are flying free in California, Arizona, Utah, and Baja California, Mexico.  There are  170 condors in the captive breeding program.  33 California Condors have fledged in the wild.  59 condor eggs have been laid this year.  Southern California had six nests resulting in 2 chicks this year.  Friends of California Condors Wild & Free continues to help with the condor’s success.  We are the voice of the California Condor for future generations.

Updated April 30, 2013