Consultation Services
Newsletter
Membership
Employment
Pressroom
In the News
Contact Us

Archived Press Releases

Visit In The News for the latest news articles.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 23, 2008
BIG SUR / MONTEREY, CA
COAST GUARD HELPS RESCUE CONDORS FROM BIG SUR FIRE

High in the hills above Big Sur, eight captive California condors went about their day yesterday as usual, playing with each other, preening, and practicing flight maneuvers – unaware of the wildfire nearby. A lightening strike to a canyon just south of Big Sur  ignited the Gallery Fire around 1:00 PM Saturday afternoon. Mature vegetation fueled the blaze through the Los Padres wilderness.

The condors are part of a reintroduction program administrated by the Ventana Wildlife Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to species recovery, habitat conservation, and research. The condor release site in Big Sur is used to prepare captive born condors for  life in the wild.

This year, a newly built aviary at the site is home for seven juveniles and Hoi, a captive-raised adult male condor that mentors youngsters, teaching them social etiquette and survival skills. With only 315 California condors in existence, fewer than half living in 
the wild, these 8 birds are invaluable to the species’ future.

By Sunday morning, the fire was shifting directions and gaining ground. The call was made to evacuate the condors. By that time however, Highway 1 had been closed and all road access to the condor site was shut down. The only way to rescue these valuable animals was by helicopter.

With fire resources spread thin, tending to the near 600 blazes in California, the Ventana Wildlife Society called on the US Coast Guard for help. By noon, a crew had been assigned to the mission and they awaited the final go-ahead. Shortly thereafter the Governor’s Office and State Office of Emergency Services contacted the Coast Guard 
approving the rescue of the endangered animals. The race was on – a race against the fire, the weather, and daylight.

By 3:45, the first leg of the operation was underway. A team of three from Ventana Wildlife Society boarded the Coast Guard helicopter at Monterey Jet Center airfield. Their plan was to be dropped off on the mountaintop above the condor facility, hike in, catch and confine the birds, then shuttle each one by ATV, back to the rendezvous area.

Joe Burnett, senior wildlife biologist for the condor program led the rescue team. Joining him was Mike Tyner and Henry Bonifas. In over ninety degree temperature the team made its way down the dirt road toward the condors – a three-mile trek. Ash floated down around them. An eerie silence fell over the canyon.

Over three hours passed before the first group of condors was airlifted out of danger. With limited space on board, there was just enough room to squeeze in five animal crates, each holding a precious condor.

Back at the airfield, a team from the Pinnacles Condor Program awaited. All eight condors would be transported to Pinnacles National Monument to be housed in their condor enclosures. Ventana Wildlife Society and Pinnacles have collaborated on condor recovery since 2003.

Thanks to the tremendous effort by the US Coast Guard, by day’s end, the remaining condors, along with their weary rescuers, landed safely out of harms way. As of today, June 23, 2008 all eight condors were safely transferred to the Pinnacles National Monument and are doing well. They will be released there later this year.

With the condors in their new home, thoughts are now focusing on the fate of Ventana Wildlife Society’s condor release site and the condition of the three wild condor chicks in Big Sur that may have survived the devastation. The group is seeking assistance, by boat or air, or financial contribution to help. Anyone interested in assisting the condor program should call Executive Director, Kelly Sorenson at 831-455-9514.

http://www.ventanaws.org

California’s only not-for-profit releasing and managing condors in California, Ventana Wildlife Society is working hard to restore this magnificent species to the wild through direct, hands-on recovery, advocacy, and research. Ventana Wildlife Society is proud to partner with many governmental and other non-governmental organizations such as the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Pinnacles National Monument, California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Fish and Game, Los Angeles Zoo, San Diego Wild Animal Park, USDA Forest Service and others.