Watch California condors take their first flights in the wild during the 29th annual public condor release, in-person and live-streamed!

The Peregrine Fund and the Bureau of Land Management Vermilion Cliffs National Monument are hosting a celebration on National Public Lands Day, Saturday, September 27th by releasing five captive-bred California condors at 12 p.m. MDT/Utah time (11 a.m. MST/northern-Arizona condor time). The 29th annual event will be held in person at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument and will be live-streamed via The Peregrine Fund’s YouTube Channel.

The Arizona-Utah California condor conservation effort is a cooperative program by federal, state, and private partners, including The Peregrine Fund, the Bureau of Land Management’s Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, the Bureau of Land Management in Utah (BLM), Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Grand Canyon, and Zion National Parks, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Kaibab and Dixie National Forests, and tribes (Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians [Kaibab-Paiute Tribe] and Navajo Nation), among many other supporting groups and individuals.

The first California Condor release at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument was on December 12, 1996. The Bureau of Land Management will host the 29th annual California Condor release at the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument condor release site. “The BLM is happy to work alongside The Peregrine Fund and other state and federal agencies in supporting the recovery of this great species,” said BLM Vermilion Cliffs National Monument manager Robert Bate. “We are excited to host this event once again on-site and virtually so that the scope and reach of this incredible and successful collaborative recovery effort can continue to inspire people worldwide. The BLM is proud to host this event and manage the habitat and landscapes that allow these magnificent condors to thrive,” said Bate.

“It is always exciting for us to have the opportunity to share our work with the public on National Public Lands Day,” said Tim Hauck, The Peregrine Fund’s California Condor Program Director. “It is a reminder of the tremendous comeback by this once nearly extinct species and the hard work and dedication of those who have fought, and those who continue to fight, day in and day out to ensure we reach our ultimate goal of recovery. Now more than ever, it is a time to celebrate our public lands and the diversity of species, like the condor, that rely on these open spaces.”

In 2020, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the team took the celebration online, reaching more than 10,000 event viewers. The event will be live-streamed again in addition to the in-person event. Because the condor team is unable to predict exactly when the birds will choose to leave their release pen, the live-stream event will have a picture-in-picture set up with a camera trained on the release pen and will include videos and interviews with the condor biologists and conservationists who work with these massive birds! Viewers will also have their questions answered live by the condor team.

Those attending the event in person will have the opportunity to talk with condor biologists and ecosystem managers, learn about the birds and their habitat, and enjoy a festival-like atmosphere while waiting for five condors to take their first flight from the Vermilion Cliffs. Details about the in-person event are below.

The young condors being released this fall were hatched at the Oregon Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park and will be transported to Vermilion Cliffs National Monument for release to the wild. Placements of captive-reared condors are determined to increase genetic diversity within the individual flocks.

The historical California Condor population declined to just 22 individuals in the 1980s when the California Condor Recovery Program was initiated to save the species from extinction. As of July 2025, there are 82 condors in the wild in the rugged canyon country of northern Arizona and southern Utah. The total world population of endangered California Condors numbers more than 560 individuals, with more than 360 flying free in Arizona, Utah, California, Oregon, and Mexico.

Set a reminder to join the live stream of the condor release on 

The Peregrine Fund’s YouTube Channel! 

(The live stream begins at 10:30 a.m. MST, 11:30 p.m. MDT)

Information about attending the event in person:
 

● Driving directions: Take Highway 89A from Kanab, UT, or Page, AZ to the Vermilion Cliffs (from Flagstaff take Highway 89 to Highway 89A). Turn north onto BLM Road 1065 (a dirt road next to the small house just east of the Kaibab Plateau) and continue for almost 3 miles. If traveling from Utah, please note the differences between time zones as the event begins at 12 p.m. MDT (11 a.m. MST, northern Arizona Condor Time) Plan to arrive earlier, as parking and walking will add additional time.

● Bring: Spotting scope or binoculars, sunscreen, hat, ample water, snacks, a chair, and layered clothing as the closest facilities to obtain supplies are 40 minutes from the remote release site.

● Details: Informational kiosk, shade structure, and restroom at the site. Map: https://on.doi.gov/3dW2f4m 

For more information about The Peregrine Fund California Condor recovery project: https://peregrinefund.org/projects/california-condor