Welcome to the feeding and release sanctuary at Ventana Wildlife Society’s privately-owned Condor Sanctuary.

Located two miles east of the Pacific Ocean in Big Sur, California, the sanctuary is surrounded by pristine US Forest Service lands, which are visible in the background. Ventana Wildlife Society has been releasing captive-bred condors to Big Sur, California since 1997.

At this location, scientists place carcasses of stillborn domestic calves to provide condors, including newly released ones, with a clean (non-lead) back-up food supply. Scavengers such as coyotes are kept out of the area by a fence.

You may also see a variety of other bird species such as golden eagles and ravens. Golden eagles may sometimes attack the young condors but rarely ever injure or kill them.