Over 300 California condors have returned to the wild
In short
- In 1987, the last free-flying California condors were captured and taken into captivity.
- The largest flying North American bird was declared extinct in the wild that year.
- Decades of captive breeding and reintroduction have restored more than 300 condors to nature.
Why the Good News Desk likes this one
The California condor is a case of a species saved through sustained, shared effort over decades. The article uses the recovery to ask who should decide which species get protected under a global biodiversity treaty. It offers the condor as a lesson for that question rather than as a finished policy result.
From Phys.org
In 1987, biologists captured the last free-flying condor to transfer it to captivity, and the largest flying North American bird species was officially declared extinct in the wild. Today, after decades of coordinated efforts and millions of dollars spent on captive breeding and reintroduction efforts, more than 300 condors have been restored to their natural environment.
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For kids
Long ago, the biggest flying bird in North America was gone from the wild. Scientists and helpers raised condors and then set them free again. Now more than 300 California condors live in nature once more. Why do you think so many people had to work together to help the condors?
