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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 primarily source is from lead fragments that the California Condors ate 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.

A California Condor has hatched, see the webcam at the San Diego Zoo.

Find details for upcoming events on our activities page.  Tour of the Hopper Mountain Refuge June 9th.

 Today there are  403 California Condors, of those 224 are flying free in California, Arizona, Utah, and Baja California, Mexico.  There are  179 condors in the captive breeding program.  33 California Condors have fledged in the wild.  66 condor eggs have been laid this year.  Thus far 22 chicks have hatched.  There are 6 nests in Southern California 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 May 07, 2012