Sespe Condor Sanctuary

Sespe Condor Sanctuary is a 53,000-acre (210 km2) wildlife refuge in the Los Padres National Forest. The United States Forest Service established the sanctuary in 1947 for the California condor, which is an endangered species and the largest living bird in North America. For visitors, the sanctuary has a public-access corridor near Dough Flat. Currently the California Condor Recovery Program is in effect in California, Arizona, and Baja. There are more than 350 California condors in the world, with more than 180 flying free in the wild. California has four release sites, of which the Sespe Condor Sanctuary is one. With the advent of more natural condor births, more release sites are in the works.