Give Prayer a Chance

Thanks to the dedication of the Yurok Tribe with the assistance of the National Park Service, California Condors have been reintroduced to their ancestral home of Humboldt County. Building on decades of successful reintroduction of the species in other habitats in the western US, the condor was rescued from extinction. The local project began releasing the Condors in the spring of 2022 and there are now 17 free-flying condors in Humboldt skies.

*All the birds have an alpha-numeric number on their wing tags as well as a Yurok name.* Ne-gem Ne-chween-ka (A0) is one of the now nearly mature females in the group.

*It was a thrill to see* Poy-we-son (B3) all grown up.

Poy-we-son in February, 2023, *the gray head a sign of his youth.*

Taking care of them requires careful monitoring via radio telemetry and frequent health checks. They must be vaccinated for avian influenza and several have been treated for lead poisoning. One bird was lost to lead poisoning earlier this year after feeding on lead shot left in a poached elk. Hunter education is ongoing to lessen the chances of another tragic loss.

*The extraordinary “fingers” at the tips of the wings, as well as rudder-like tails are capable of incredibly subtle and detailed flight adjustments*. *Condors have a ten-foot wingspan and weigh about 20 pounds*, *but appear light as air as they sail the sky.*

I have listened to the argument that it is akin to playing god to rescue an animal seemingly doomed to extinction via extravagant and artificial means, and I understand this point of view. But when I saw my first Condors above Big Sur in 2014 my heart nearly leapt out of my chest at the sight of the extraordinary birds floating so high above the earth, but unmistakable. Since that moment I have had no doubt that bringing this species back from the brink was not only the right thing to do, it has restored a part of us as well. In this Indra’s net of creation the only choice is to take care of the infinite and exquisite interconnectivity of us all.

Vying for a spot on this perch, the older bird (below) arrives and unseats the younger bird (B3 above)

Seeing these immense beasts in the air, gliding effortlessly on the broadest wings in North America, it is easy to understand the Yurok belief that Condors carry prayers to heaven. What better ambassador of uplifted spirit than a creature that turns death into life.

*The possible lovebirds,* Ne-gem Ne-chween-ka, *the female on the left, and* Hlow Hoo-let, the male on the right.

*The pair strike a Romeo and Juliet pose.*

I have been fortunate to observe the local Condors four times starting in 2022. Some who had the grayish heads of immaturity now have the pinkish heads of adulthood as well as their adult plumage as they approach 6 years of age. A couple of them may be beginning a little romance, tentative though it may be without the mentorship of older birds to teach the Condor dating game. But I bet they will figure it out. On some level I believe they know they belong here and that they understand the intentions of the people who paradoxically had to imprison them in order to free them.

Seven minute video follows the local Godwit Days birding festival’s day trip to view the Condors. April 19, 2025

Maybe recognizing that whatever god is, we all share equally in holding the sacred in our hearts. If that’s how you play god, it’s a good game that both the Condors and the humans can win.