A portion of Oregon’s investment package from the year-end omnibus bill will support the important work at Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation, the nation’s second-largest California condor breeding facility.
The $2 million in federal funding is wind beneath the wings of Oregon Zoo’s Condor Restoration Resiliency Project, whose successful efforts have brought the critically endangered species away from the edge of extinction. Last year saw a record 12 condor chicks hatch, with eight adults released into the wild.
Specifically, the money will help staff “climate proof” the building in rural Clackamas County, where wildfires and winter storm power outages have already forced evacuations and are expected to occur more often in the future.
“Our center will be better equipped to withstand weather-related events, protecting condors and staff so that recovery efforts can continue,” said Heidi Rahn, Oregon Zoo director. “Each chick hatched at the center is a lifeline for the species.”
