The condor, a grand master of the sky, carries with it the stories of ancient mountains and vast valleys. Revered across the Americas, these birds aren’t just big—they’re gigantic. And as some of the heaviest birds are able to take flight, they are symbols of resilience. Three remarkable condors, each with their own story of survival and triumph, have recently been released back to the wild. From the sacred Andean valleys of Peru and Chile to the rugged cliffs near the Grand Canyon in the United States, these birds now soar free. Their stories are about overcoming great odds, thanks to the dedication of wildlife caretakers on both sides of the equator.
Sinchi: The Survivor of Colca Canyon
In the heart of Peru, an Andean condor named Sinchi recovered from a near-fatal poisoning that almost grounded him for good. Found in distress, it was suspected that Sinchi had fed on livestock carcasses laced with drugs—an unintentional but deadly risk for scavengers like him. This poisoning is a common hazard for Andean condors, as they rely on carrion and often encounter tainted meat left in remote grazing lands.
The Peruvian National Forestry and Wildlife Service sprang into action, bringing Sinchi to a specialised breeding reserve. He was treated carefully for seven months, gaining back his strength daily. The team was determined to get him back into the wild where he belonged, and they prepared him well. Before setting him free, they attached a satellite tracker to his feathers, a small but mighty device that allows his caretakers to monitor his flights, health, and well-being. When they finally opened the door to his release, Sinchi spread his wings and flew into Colca Canyon—a landscape as breathtaking as the bird himself. With his flight, the people of Peru held onto hope for a future where condors remain part of their natural world.
The Trio of Hope in Chile’s Likandes Reserve
Meanwhile, across the border in Chile, three more condors took flight under the watchful eyes of caretakers and conservationists. These birds – Huenchuman, Huenuman, and Kalfuman – had also faced their share of challenges. Two of the trio had never even tasted freedom; they were born in captivity to parents who had also been rescued. The third condor had been a resident at the Melimoyu Ecosystem Research Institute, a sanctuary an hour outside of Santiago.
Their caretakers worked hard, training these young birds to fly in the wild alongside others. Huenchuman and Huenuman practised tirelessly, learning to catch the wind and glide, a skill essential for survival in the wild.
In December, with a mix of excitement and nervousness, the team released them into Chile’s Likandes Elemental Reserve. With Indigenous Mapuche names that reflected their cultural importance, these birds soared into the blue skies, a sign of Chile’s commitment to keeping its skies filled with the presence of the Andean condor.
Milagra’s Miracle Flight in Arizona
Across the world in the United States, yet another condor was taking to the sky, but this one wasn’t an Andean condor. She was Milagra, a California condor. Raised by foster parents after her own had succumbed to avian flu, Milagra had already faced challenges that few birds could survive. At only 17 months, she was one of three young condors released by The Peregrine Fund and the Bureau of Land Management near the Grand Canyon.
The path wasn’t easy. Her caretakers watched as she hesitated at the open pen, not ready to leave. But after a quiet moment, she found her courage and took off, wings stretched wide over the red rocks of Arizona. Like Sinchi and the Chilean trio, she was fitted with a tracking device. Her caretakers, who had invested hours into her survival, wanted to follow her journey and learn from her success. This was no ordinary flight; it was the flight of a young bird whose life had begun with tragedy but was now filled with boundless possibilities.
Soaring Into the Future
Sinchi, Huenchuman, Huenuman, Kalfuman, and Milagra are the enduring spirits of species that continue to inspire people across the Americas. Each condor has a role in their ecosystem, from cleaning carrion to connecting humans to the natural world. In return, people from Peru to the United States do everything they can to protect these birds, often braving rugged terrains and limited resources to give condors a second chance at life.
In their wings lies the hope of a world that values and protects its wildlife, where humans and nature find harmony, and where skies remain filled with these magnificent birds’ giant, unmistakable silhouettes.
