Ventana Wildlife SocietyConserving Native Wildlife and Their Habitats Since 1977
Ventana Wildlife Society restored a population of bald eagles to central California and dedicated the last 27 years to restoring California Condors to the wild while providing meaningful outdoor experiences to youth and families. In doing so, we create hope for humans and wildlife to thrive, together. Help us restore condors to the wild and educate the next generation.
** Four year-old Dian Fossey (1011) and Fourteen year-old female Condor (550), catching her breath. Read more about condors at My Condor Bios. |
We have begun vaccinating the central California condor flock for HPAI!
Right now, we have 13 of 100 wild condors in central California vaccinated for highly pathogenic avian influenza!
|
Hot Links
- Learn more about all of our programs in the 2023 Annual Report.
- Watch the Condor Canyon Teaser - A new wildlife documentary and true story by Ventana Wildlife Society, funded by the Doris Day and Terry Melcher Foundation.
- Reward for Arrest of condor shooter increased to $15,000.
- Local Hunters and Ranchers - Get free non-lead ammunition!
- $150,000 more needed to complete the Research Facility / Bunkhouse ... the Condor Release Pen is Complete!
Species Recovery
Bald Eagles
Restored a breeding population of Bald Eagles to the California central coast from 1986-2000
Restored a breeding population of Bald Eagles to the California central coast from 1986-2000
Bald Eagles are breeding once again in the Central California Coast Region, thanks to a successful re-introduction project. During 1986-2000, we released 70 juvenile Bald Eagles at our Big Sur wildlife sanctuary. Our goal was to establish a population of four adult breeding Bald Eagle pairs, in the hopes of creating a self-sustaining population. At our last count, we found 30 nesting territories. The wild Bald Eagle population is thriving!
|
Condors
Restoring California Condors to the wild since 1997
Restoring California Condors to the wild since 1997
By the 1980s, the California Condor population was in crisis, and extinction in the wild seemed imminent. The dramatic decline of condors in the 20th century has been attributed to shooting, poisoning, electric power lines, egg collecting, and habitat loss. In 1987, the last wild California Condor was taken into captivity to join the 26 remaining condors in an attempt to bolster the population through a captive breeding program. At that time, it was uncertain whether or not North America's largest flying land bird (by wingspan, 9.5 feet) would ever again soar in the wild.
USFWS Matching Fund - Help Us Restore the Flock
Thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Endangered Species Fund, every dollar spent this year will be matched 1:1! Our 2023/24 goal is $372,000. Please consider making a gift today and help the condor survive in the wild again. |
Education
Connecting Youth to Nature Since 1992
Connecting Youth to Nature Since 1992
Since 1992, we've been providing outdoor education programs for youth. We pick them up in our fleet of four 15-passenger vans, meeting in communities from Castroville to Salinas, and inland from Prunedale to Greenfield. Our destinations have included whale watching boats in the bay, kayaks at Elkhorn Slough, tidepools at Point Pinos, caves in Pinnacles National Park, and forests in the Ventana Wilderness. We provide opportunities for children who have never experienced these things before and offer the discovery of a new world, new emotions, and new possibilities. More than 1,300 youth enroll in our outdoor education programs each year, but we still focus on the individual, their unique discoveries, and the potential they have to shape the lives of others.
|
VWS works with two different Monterey County communities to provide weekly off-site nature classes for youth during the school year while monthly on-site Community Outdoor Club Meetings, single-day field trips and overnight campouts for multigenerational participants occur year-round. More . . .
|
Donate, Give Today
|
Shop For Gifts
|
Symbolically Adopt-A-Condor
|