In many canyons, currents of warm air rise up from the bottom every morning as the air is heated by the sun. This creates a kind of aerial elevator that the condors can ride up out of the canyon in order to go look for food. The condors do not even have to flap their wings to take off––they can just dive off their cliff with their wings outstretched and let the warm air currents carry them upwards! This helps them save energy, which is important because of how large they are. Such heavy bodies would take a lot of strength to lift into the air.
Unfortunately, the Andean condor is currently classified as a vulnerable species. This is mostly due to human destruction of the condor’s habitat, as well as hunting and poisoning by farmers who see the condors as a threat to their animals. In order to address these problems, conservationists are doing their best to protect the condors’ habitat and start educational programs that teach local people how to coexist peacefully with these unique animals. Hopefully these efforts will allow the Andean condor to continue to thrive for many years to come.
