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Adopt a California Condor
Reintroducing the California Condor to Big Sur

Ventana Wildlife Society is the only nonprofit organization releasing condors in California. 

The first wild condor chick in Central California hatched in early April 2007 and was named Centennia. A total of 280 names were entered into a contest at Pedro Nava's website savethecondor.com and our field biologists picked the winning name. We are now watching over two condor nests; one in a cliff (Centennia) and the other in a Coastal Redwood tree. The Redwood chick still needs a name so we put together this online poll using the three most common names entered from the earlier contest. Please take a moment to help us decide the name of this chick. 

Help us to create hope for condors and people to thrive together.

Get to know the Condor Chicks and Their Parents

Condor chick in cliffside cave named Centennia

VIEW: Video of the FIRST Wild Condor Egg in Central California - April 6, 2007
VIEW: Video of the SECOND Wild Condor Egg in Central California - April 14, 2007

Benefits of Adoption:

In addition to becoming a member and receiving the benefits of membership and helping condors survive in the wild and specifically to provide care for condor chicks, you will receive:

At the $50 -$99 level, an adoption certificate and email updates for one year on the progress of chicks in the wild
or
At the $100 or more level, an adoption certificate and email updates for one year on the progress of chicks in the wild and you will also be automatically entered into a drawing to win the chance to see Big Sur condors in the wild and spend the day with Ventana Wildlife Society biologists (one night at the Big Sur Lodge included). For every $5,000 total raised, we will hold a drawing to be announced throughout the year. All adoptions at $1,000 or more are eligible for a personalized tour as per our membership benefit guidelines.
Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery

Get to know the Condor Parents

Condor egg. Photo taken April 6, 2007

Condor #208. Photo taken April 6, 2007

The Cliff Nest - Breeding Pair - Female 208 and Male 168
Condor breeding pair 208 and 168 established a nest in a cavity of a large cliff in the Ventana Wilderness in Big Sur, California.  They laid the first fertile egg in Central California in 100 years.

FEMALE 208 - hatched at the Los Angeles Zoo on May 14, 1999.  Ventana Wildlife Society received her on November 16, 1999 and released her into Big Sur on March 4, 2000 at 10 months old.  She was recaptured and transferred to the LA Zoo on November 30, 2005 for medical treatment brought on by lead poisoning.  On January 6, 2006, Ventana Wildlife Society re-released her back into the wild in Big Sur, where she rejoined the flock and her mate, #168.

MALE 168 - hatched at the Los Angeles Zoo on May 9, 1997.  Ventana Wildlife Society
received him on October 27, 1998 and released him into Big Sur on Jan 19, 1999 at 20 months old.

Videos of condors in their cliff nest - Condor # Male 168 and Female 208

California Condor nest in cliff

California Condor nest in cliff, part two

The Redwood Nest - Breeding Pair - Female 190 and Male 167*

Condor in Redwood tree nest

Condor breeding pair 167 and 190 found a home deep in the cavity of a redwood tree.  Ventana Wildlife Society biologists entered the nest to check on the egg on April 17, 2007 and it was switched with a “dummy” egg and later determined that the wild laid egg was infertile.   We returned a fertile egg on May 4, 2007 as it was ready to hatch. 

FEMALE #190 - hatched at the Los Angeles Zoo on May 11, 1998,  Ventana Wildlife Society received her on December 2, 1998 and released her into Big Sur on January 19, 1999 at 8 months old. 

MALE #167 - hatched at the Los Angeles Zoo on May 6, 1997, Ventana Wildlife Society received him on September 22, 1997 and released him into Big Sur on December 12, 1997 at 7 months old.

*This breeding pair was unsuccessful last year in this same Redwood tree, for unknown reasons.  We only found eggshell fragments in the nest. 

Videos of condors in their Redwood tree nest

California Condor in a Redwood tree nest


California Condor in a Redwood tree nest, part two


California Condor in a Redwood tree next, part three