The release of A0 — which will be live streamed — marks the first flight of a female condor in the region in more than a century. But first, the bird has to cooperate by entering a smaller pen next to the main enclosure that has a door to the outside, a process successfully navigated by A2 and A3 on May 3.
After leaving first, A3 was nicknamed "Poy’-we-son," which the Yurok Tribe said translates to "the one who goes ahead, but also harks back to the traditional name for a headman of a village, who helps lead and guide the village in a good way,” while A2’s nickname, "Nes-kwe-chokw,’" translates to “He returns” or “He arrives."
The last of the young condors is expected to be let out sometime next month.
A0’s release will mark another milestone for the effort led by the Yurok Tribe over the last 15 years to bring back the bird they know as prey-go-neesh to the northern reaches of its former territory, which included extensive planning, outreach and research.
Until now, the last condor sighting on the North Coast was in 1892 after decades of decimation by settlers, who shot and poisoned the birds considered sacred in Yurok tradition.