The Giant Bird That Got Lost in Time

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The California condor is the biggest flying bird in North America, a title that it has held since the Late Pleistocene Epoch. It's just one example of an organism that we share the planet with today that seems lost in time, out of place in our world.

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[romanmeneghinister]

Woah, as a kid I saw one just sitting on this old shack on our yard not 200 yards away, it was pretty freaky because it was massive, didn't realize it was so endangered

[longtail]

I remember as a little girl growing up during the 80's following the conservation efforts of the California condor and bald eagles after the DDT crisis. They had only 24 condors left in existence then.

A few years ago I visited the Grand Canyon and got to see three California condors flying wild. It was a breathtaking moment. All the people who worked so hard to care for the last living population have my deepest gratitude. They are incredible, and the world would be a darker, sadder place without them.

[thatcherrycat]

My aunt was actually one of the people re-introducing condors to the Grand Canyon so love this video

[yoshyxl]

This condor surviving since the pleistocene impresses me more than the horseshoecrab surviving for like 240 million years.

[julianadams]

This video was great just for introducing me to the short necked turbo giraffe, that thing is amazing

[TheRocknrolla]

Godbless the people who have helped in this massive effort to save this majestic birds for the future generations

[ivanclark]

You should do a video about the evolution of stomachs, and how multi-chambered stomachs work.

[isanazario]

a video discussing why so many deadly (venemous/poisonous) organisms evolved in Australia could be quite interesting

[IceSpoon]

The Andean Condor is the national bird in many southamerican countries, and it's a symbol of respect down here. I had no idea that the northern counterpart almost got extinct.

Super interesting video! Wish you could make one about giant southern birds. I'm sure that Argentavis, Pelagornis and our own Andean Condor won't be boring :)

[foolwise]

Its really refreshing to hear that, just once in a while, we humans also saved a species :-)

[hollyodii]

Not one! Never a lame episode of Eons! Best channel on YouTube!

[DonSoledadGroup]

These California condors accompanied me in the skies during my many long mountain biking excursions in San Jose California during my childhood. Glad there on the up!

[Talonflamez]

Such an interesting and aww inspiring topic. The sentence “evolved for an ecosystem that no longer exists” is just so thought provoking, it makes you feel a sense of empathy because of that.

[willgraham]

Thank you to all who were actively involved with helping to raise this chick to adulthood and the final release!!!! This must be tremendously rewarding. So many obstacles also to get over along the way. I have yet to see one of these birds in the wild but it is a dream of mine to make that a reality!!

[michaelmeining]

Could you plz make a video on thylacoleos and the the Australian megafauna in general

[petekinne]

I was very pleased and awed to see a Ca. Condor 3 days ago here in Sylmar CA. I live next to Angeles National forest, and leaving my house, the sound of my door closing must have startled it. Across the street I saw it rise and take flight. I'm used to seeing our local ravens and red tailed hawks. The condor was more than twice the size of any of these, and as it circled to gain altitude I was treated to the sight of the color pattern on the underside of it's wings - exactly like the image shown at the beginning of your video. Later that day I learned there are only about 500 in existence currently. I won't forget that sight ever.

[AdanAndNicki]

When i was young, i saw one fly past my door and i was so traumatized because it was so big and i kept telling my family members til this day that i saw a monster bird and no one believes me 🤷‍♀️

[dylankrogers]

Nice to hear that these amazing birds are still around. I remember learing about them in grade school in the mid 80s and there were barely a couple dozen left.

[OlOleander]

Eons uploads are perhaps my very favorite thing these days. Another great episode!

[kenweller]

The condor's cousin, the turkey vulture, really took off when the interstate highway system was established. They followed the roadkill and now they are well established here in New England, as well as upstate NY. They never used to get this far north, but I saw a few as early as late February this year.

It would be great if there were a manmade niche for the condors as well, like the vultures around here and the falcons of NYC.