NPS - National Park Service

09/22/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/22/2021 13:43

Public Encouraged to Attend Virtual California Condor Release Due to Increased COVID-19 Transmission in Local Area

News Release Date:
September 22, 2021

Contact:Grand Canyon Office of Communications, 928-638-7779

VERMILION CLIFFS, Ariz. - Due to high Covid-19 transmission levels in counties surrounding the condor release site, and to help prevent further spread of the virus, partners hosting the 26th annual California Condor Release on Saturday, September 26, are strongly encouraging the public to attend the live stream event online.

In 2020, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the team took the celebration online with more than 10,000 viewers of the event. Because of that success, the event will be live streamed again this year.

The programming for the live virtual event will begin at 12:30 (MDT) 11:30 am (MST). The release pen will be open at 1pm (MDT) 12pm (MST).

Condor Program Manager for The Peregrine Fund, Tim Hauck says, "We are unable to schedule exactly when the birds will choose to leave their release pen, so 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 be able to ask us questions and have them answered live by our team." The virtual event can be viewed here: 26th California Condor Release hosted by The Peregrine Fund, Bureau of Land Management, & Traeger - YouTube

Information about attending the event in person:
In following with CDC guidelines in place for outdoor gatherings, masks are required to attend the event and social distancing is encouraged.

For more information about this California Condor recovery project visit: https://peregrinefund.org/projects/california-condor

-NPS-