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Phoenix was the best surprise we ever had! We knew that his parents, Condor #199 and Condor #231, were spending a lot of time in the remote Big Sur backcountry, but we were unable to confirm that an egg had been laid for many months. #199 and #231 did an awesome job and chose a pristine nest site in one of Big Sur's unique redwood nests. We entered the nest precisely once: a biologist peered into the nest cavity and was surprised to find a half-grown chick! That makes Phoenix a part of the first nest in Big Sur where his biological parents raised their own egg, rather than fostering a replacement egg from a zoo. In the years following his hatch, we had hoped and have since been able to take this more ‘hands off’ approach for all of our nests. Our flock has continued to demonstrate more life skills, and we have been able to intervene less and less as the condor flock size has grown and allowed them to reproduce independently.
In June of 2008, the gigantic Basin Complex wildfire scorched the forest surrounding the nest so severely that there was nothing left but ash for miles. The grove of trees that #199 and #231's nest was in burned about halfway up, but the crowns were not damaged. Phoenix survived and his nickname was inspired by his trial by fire and also because of the hope his parents inspired by raising their first chick so perfectly. He successfully raised his first chick, #936, with condor #547 in 2018, but has since paired with #190.
In June of 2008, the gigantic Basin Complex wildfire scorched the forest surrounding the nest so severely that there was nothing left but ash for miles. The grove of trees that #199 and #231's nest was in burned about halfway up, but the crowns were not damaged. Phoenix survived and his nickname was inspired by his trial by fire and also because of the hope his parents inspired by raising their first chick so perfectly. He successfully raised his first chick, #936, with condor #547 in 2018, but has since paired with #190.
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