Strengthening the Future of the California Condor
a new innovative breeding center helping to recover one of North America’s most iconic and endangered native birds.
At California Condor Alliance we are on a mission to become an essential captive breeding center.
about us
Our aim is clear: to provide a substantial number of healthy, young condors for release each year, helping accelerate the species’ path from endangered to enduring.
We aspire to be both a key step and a vital partner in the California Condor Recovery Program,
Founded by Michael Clark, one of the foremost experts in condor recovery, with over 35 years in the program, his career began at the LA Zoo when only 30 condors remained in the world. Over the next 30 years, he would be joined by the rest of our directors and together they devoted their professional lives to the recovery of the California condor through passion, innovation and dedication to the program’s mission.
Remarkable Team
get to know our
Why restoring the California Condor matters
a legacy worth saving
01.
Keystone Species
California condors, along with other scavengers, play a vital role in Western ecosystems by consuming dead animals and returning essential nutrients to the environment, helping to maintain ecological balance.
These birds are more than wildlife, as the largest bird in North America, they are living symbols of resilience, and cultural legacy—woven into the stories, landscapes, and heritage of communities across the West.
02.
Cultural Icon
The California condor is one of the most iconic conservation success stories. Bringing condors back from the brink of extinction proves what determined, cooperative conservation can achieve. Its gradual recovery symbolizes hope, resilience, and the power of human intervention in reversing environmental damage
03.
Conservation Victory
The Challenges they face
And Why Increased Captive Breeding is vital for their successful recovery
Lead ammunition fragments found in animal carcasses, inadvertently consumed by the birds along with the meat, remain the leading cause of wild condor mortality, responsible for 50% of known deaths.
01. Lead Poisoning
more details
Condors naturally produce a single egg and rear a single chick per breeding attempt.
02. Slow Breeding
A California condor chick may require more than one year of parental care before independence, limiting a pair of birds to producing only two chicks in four years
03. Slow Development
Despite the successful release of condors each year. Wild population growth has been sluggish due to factors such as: lead poisoning, forest fire, and viral outbreak.
04. Growth Rate Plateau
more details
Too few facilities exist to meet the urgent need for young condors to be raised.
05. Breeding Space Shortages
Our condors are prepared for a smooth transition into the wild, minimizing the attention and management required for field biologists who track, protect, and support them post-release.
Easier to Manage Post-Release
We raise condors that are socially confident, allowing them to integrate successfully with the wild populations. These birds develop the instincts and behaviors they need to adapt quickly in natural settings.
Socially Intelligent
Raised under the highest standards of care, our condors are strong, healthy, and well-feathered — genetically and physically prepared to thrive.
Healthy Birds
We produce well-prepared candidates that can thrive in the wild once released.
We don’t just breed condors.
our condors
Documentaries
and more...
You may have seen us in
next
People of the California Condor Recovery - Mike Clark, Condor Keeper
“Gifts of the Condor” lessons learned from 35 years of breeding California Condors
the condor´s show
LA Zoo uses new tactic to boost California condor population
Ventana Wildlife Society, mONTHLY CONDOR ZOOM-CHAT
Be part of the Comeback
Your support fuels our breeding efforts and helps bring the condor closer to recovery.
cookie policy
terms & Conditions
california condor alliance©, 2025
Site designed by brandsthatimpact | photography credits to tim huntington