Ever seen a California condor in the wild? The experience, while still rare, was impossible only 30 years ago. Ventana Wildlife Society executive director Kelly Sorenson and Alta Journal contributor Joy Lanzendorfer sit down with Alta Live to detail the extraordinary return of the state’s once-extinct wild condor, explain the ongoing work of West Coast wildlife conservation, and reveal their tips on where and how to spot one of the most elusive California birds.
About the guests:
Kelly Sorenson has over 20 years of experience in wildlife conservation and youth education. He received a master’s in public administration from Golden Gate University and a bachelor of science in wildlife management from West Virginia University. As the executive director of the Ventana Wildlife Society, Sorenson has led the organization’s efforts to restore bald eagles and California condors to the wild in Central California. He also volunteers as a member of the board of directors for the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District and as a managing director for the California Central Coast Joint Venture.
Joy Lanzendorfer’s debut novel, Right Back Where We Started From, is forthcoming May 4. Her work has appeared in Alta Journal, the New York Times, the Atlantic, Smithsonian, the Washington Post, and NPR.•
Check out these links to some of the articles, videos, and organizations Sorenson and Lanzendorfer touched on:
- Read “Flight of the Condors,” by Joy Lanzendorfer.
- Visit the Ventana Wildlife Society’s website.
- Visit the Ventana Wildlife Society’s condor cams.
- View the Ventana Wildlife Society’s Zoom chat archives.
- Preorder Joy Lanzendorfer’s new book, Right Back Where We Started From.
- Learn more about the lead-free-ammunition program.
- Learn more about the Yurok Tribe’s Wildlife Program.
- Watch Iniko’s fire-survival story on YouTube.
