Customer Reviews

Condors in Canyon Country: The Return of the California Condor to the Grand Canyon Region

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Every so often a book comes along that makes you feel good and offers a glimmer of hope for the environment. This is such a book.

The California Condor is a magnificent bird, the largest flying land bird in North America with wingspans reaching 9.5 feet. There was a time, 10,000 years ago, when the Condor soared in abundance above the canyonlands of the American southwest, including the Grand Canyon. However, over time they began to disappear until in the early 1980s there were only 22 remaining in the wild. By 1987 the last wild Condor disappeared. Even today there are only 141 living in the wild, primarily in northern Arizona, southern Utah and California.

This book is about the near extinction of the bird and the heroic efforts of biologists and other dedicated individuals to ensure the survival of the species. The successful implementation of a controversial captive-breeding program that has resulted in the reappearance of the birds in the Grand Canyon and Vermillion Cliffs along the Arizona Strip in Northern Arizona after a 70-year absence has given hope that the species will return to its rightful place in the ecosystem. It is a story that is inspiring, bittersweet,and will leave you cheering for these magnificent creatures.

I personally viewed Condors at the Grand Canyon a few years ago and Osborn's descriptions of the visual impact of again seeing these birds are right on target. It is truly a sight to remember.

In addition to a splendid narrative there are photographs that surely will be made into a picture book. The photo on page 77 of a Condor in the Grand Canyon is worth the price of the book alone.

The book has been called the only book of its kind and that is surely true. I know of no other on the subject that makes such compelling reading and provides evidence that humankind can save endangered species, given dedication and cooperation among the myriad interests involved. A wonderful book.

For anyone interested in wildlife, birds, and stories of survival....this is the perfect book. It's an amazing blend of facts about the natural history of the California Condor and the personal accounts of a biologist who dedicated several years of her life ensuring that the condors were successfully reintroduced to their historical range in the Grand Canyon. The photos are spectacular and the writing is absolutely beautiful. The book gives you a very personal look at the myriad challenges and rewards associated with the restoration of an endangered species. I highly recommend it.

I bought this book for my 6 year old daughter who has had a deep fascination and love for California Condors since watching a documentary about the Grand Canyon 2 years ago which described their plight. I wanted something that would develop her knowledge of these amazing birds, something non-fiction and beyond the basic story of the Condor, something that would grow with her.

We LOVE this book! Although the language used is not child oriented (obviously, this isn't your average childs book), we read it together (and discuss the parts she doesn't understand) and she sits and listens, asks questions and we both thoroughly enjoy the story-telling way this book is written.

We highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in these amazing birds.

I purchased my copy while at the Grand Canyon National Park last summer and then just had to buy it as a gift for the veterinarian who heads a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center where I volunteer. It is just awesome, hard to put down and the pictures are wonderful. If you love animals and are interested in the reintroduction of condors back into the Grand Canyon, this is a must!!