The California condor once ruled the West Coast. In the 1960s, however, the bird’s population had diminished to only 100 due to lead poisoning. By 1982, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says, there were only 23 remaining California condors.

In 1987, each surviving condor was put in captivity to be part of a breeding program to revive the species.

Some have returned to the wild.

With their bald heads and wingspans reaching just over nine feet, the California condor is a sight to see. Despite its status as the largest bird in North America, the California condor is rare to spot.

However, populations are on the rise.

Officials have announced that the California condor has returned to the San Francisco Bay Area, according to Phys.org. They have not been seen in the area for a century.

One adult male condor, known as #996, seems to be leading a flock to the Bay Area. He is reaching breeding age, so officials believe he has been looking for a place to lay down roots.

Of course, he is not alone. Across Alameda and Contra Costa counties, the Ventana Wildlife Society has tracked 30 California condors.

“These movements into Alameda County, and even Contra Costa County, are the first to be documented in over 100 years,” Ventana executive director Kelly Sorenson said.

Their return is a welcome one, as California condors are ecologically important. According to the National Park Service, condors are scavengers. These birds eat what is already dead, acting as a “clean-up crew.”

When left to decay, carcasses can transfer disease to other animals and people. The work of the California condor prevents this from happening.

While population numbers are on the rise, there is still work to be done for the California Condor, but we can hope for an even bigger comeback as the years pass.

“There’s a lot of disappointment that goes into the condor story, but just the mere fact that we’re talking about the possibility of seeing condors in the East Bay is pretty miraculous,” biologist Joseph Belli said, per Phys.org.

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