Ventana Wildlife Society

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Ventana Wildlife Society

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Our Mission is conserve native wildlife and their habitats through science, education, and collaboration. http://www.ventanaws.org

Our Mission; Conserving native wildlife and their habitats.

10/24/2026

It’s Condor Release Day! 🎉

Join us this morning at 9AM (PT) for updates from our condor biologists and watch the release pen gates open at 10AM (PT). Hope to see you there!

🔗 www.youtube.com//streams

📸: Tim Huntington

10/23/2026

Countdown to our 2026 Condor Release Event: TOMORROW!

The young condors have their official ID tags and are ready for their release tomorrow! The tags are blue with the last two digits of their studbook number and an underline below the numbers in black. These tags, as well as their radio/GPS transmitters, will help us track their adventures after they are released.

✨ Tune into our livestream Condor Release Event: TOMORROW, Saturday 10/24 | 9 AM (PT)

🔗 Livestream link at www.ventanaws.org

📸: Interns Emma (left) and Kaitlyn (right) handling Marble (1345) as he received his official wing tags and tracking transmitters

10/22/2026

Countdown to our 2026 Condor Release Event: 2 days!

The 2026 cohort of 5 captive-bred juveniles will join the wild flock during our Condor Release Event on Saturday 10/24. Tune into the livestream at 9AM (PT) for information and updates from our biologists, then watch the pen doors open at 10AM (PT).

Now that you have gotten to know all five birds, predict who will be the first to leave the pen & at what time for a chance to win a condor gift package! Voting closes at 9AM (PT) on 10/24, and watch the event to see if you guessed correctly. Make your prediction at: www.ventanaws.org

📸: by Kaitlyn Tunick/VWS
Serpentine (1339) sunning & 2026 Condor Release Cohort

10/21/2026

Countdown to our 2026 Condor Release Event: 3 days!

5 young condors are ready to spread their wings and join the wild central CA flock! Get updates from our Condor Biologists and watch their release during our livestream event on Saturday 10/24. The livestream starts at 9AM (PT) and the release pen gates open at 10AM (PT). Link to tune in online at www.ventanaws.org

10/20/2026

Countdown to our 2026 Condor Release Event: 4 days!

Watch 5 new condors join the central CA flock on Saturday, October 24th. The livestream starts at 9AM (PT) and the release pen gates open at 10AM (PT). Livestream link at www.ventanaws.org

Support condor recovery by symbolically adopting the 2026 Condor Release Cohort or any of the 5 individuals! For adoption levels and to donate, visit www.ventanaws.org/adopt-a-condor

10/19/2026

Countdown to our 2026 Condor Release Event: 5 days!

Watch 5 new condors join the central CA flock on Saturday, October 24th. The livestream starts at 9AM (PT) and the pen gates open at 10AM (PT).

Have you made your prediction on who will be the first to leave the pen? Cast your vote at www.ventanaws.org/condors

📸: Kaitlyn Tunick/VWS

10/13/2026

If you tune into our live cams in the mornings, you may see condors perched on top of the pen or on rocks, basking in the sun with their wings outstretched. We call this “sunning” or a “horaltic pose” and its main purpose is to warm up and dry out their feathers. Scientists believe that the behavior may also serve an additional purpose, using heat and UV from the sun’s rays to help control ectoparasites. Either way, it’s an impressive site with those massive 9.5 foot wingspans!

Check out our live cams to see if you can get a peek of them in this pose yourself! www.ventanaws.org/condor_cam

And thanks to cam viewers for these recent horaltic pose screenshots from our live cams.

1: Shadow (209), screenshot by Jess_828
2: Tyrion (840), screenshot by Jess_828
3: Puff (219), screenshot by Jess_828
4: Condors (1124), (1175), and (1145), screenshot by Jess_828
5: Wassak Uttis (1309), screenshot by Jess_828
6: Condor (1021), screenshot by jensan
7: Redwood Queen (190), screenshot by Vuelodelcóndor

10/12/2026

Did you know young condors sometimes burst into playful “zoomies”? Our intern captured these videos of Chert (1331) and Pumice (1332) hopping and flapping excitedly around the release pen. Each round of zoomies releases energy, strengthens their muscles, and helps them learn how to manage their wings, getting them ready for life in the wild.

The 2026 cohort of five juvenile captive-bred condors will be joining the wild central CA flock in less than two weeks! Watch our livestream Condor Release Event on Saturday 10/24 from 9AM-12PM, more info at www.ventanaws.org/condors

🎥 Chert (1331) hopping and Pumice (1332) flapping with the “zoomies” in our San Simeon release pen, Kaitlyn Tunick/VWS

10/09/2026

Meet Marble (1345), the last of our five “rookies” to be introduced. This male was also hatched by The Peregrine Fund and has earned the nickname “the sloth” from our interns for his habit of lounging and taking it easy around the pen. He tends to steer clear of conflict and spends much of his time with the two females he arrived with, Obsidian (1333) and Serpentine (1339), following them around like a little brother tagging along with his big sisters!

This cohort of captive-bred juveniles will join the wild flock during our Condor Release Event on Saturday October 24th. Tune into the livestream at 9AM (PT) for information and updates from our biologists, then watch the pen doors open at 10AM (PT).

Now that you have gotten to know all five birds, predict who will be the first to leave the pen & at what time for a chance to win a condor gift package! Voting closes at 9AM (PT) on 10/24, and watch the event to see if you guessed correctly. Make your prediction at: www.ventanaws.org/condors

📸 1 & 2: Kaitlyn Tunick/VWS
3: Kelsey Tatton/The Peregrine Fund

10/08/2026

Meet Serpentine (1339), the second of the two females in this release cohort and also hatched by The Peregrine Fund in Boise, Idaho. She is very nimble and graceful compared to the other “rookies” and has earned the nickname “the acrobat” for her ability to easily navigate around the pen. She is closest with fellow female Obsidian (1333) and is the shyest of the group but has been starting to come out of her shell.

Our Condor Release Event will be on Saturday, October 24th. Watch the 5 juveniles live on our San Simeon cam now, and then join us for the livestream release at 9am (PT) on the 24th! www.ventanaws.org/condors

📸 1&2: Kaitlyn Tunick/VWS
3: Emma Briscoe

Address

9699 Blue Larkspur Lane, Ste 105
Monterey, CA
93940

Telephone

(831) 455-9514

Website

http://www.ventanaws.org/

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