AC9 (21)

Hatched May 30, 1980 in the wild

At the time of his death, Condor 21, also known as AC9, was the oldest condor in the Southern California flock.  His father was condor 2 & his mother was condor 11.

AC9 was the last condor captured from the wild when the entire population was brought into captivity.  He was captured at what is now Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge on Easter Day of 1987 and spent 15 years in the captive breeding program until his rerelease to the wild in May 2002.

AC9 fathered 22 biological offspring and helped raise 2 foster chicks.  Many of his chicks were hatched as part of the captive breeding program, but after his rerelease into the wild he had 4 chicks with his long time mate 192 until her death in 2015.

AC9 died in the wild on June 29, 2016.