Which New World vulture became extinct in the wild in 1987 before reintroduction?

The New World vulture that became extinct in the wild in 1987 before reintroduction was the California condor.

The California condor, Gymnogyps californianus, is the largest North American land bird and one of the world’s most threatened birds. Its decline was driven by habitat loss, shooting, ingestion of trash, and especially lead poisoning from ammunition in animal carcasses. By the 1980s, conservationists captured the remaining wild birds for a last-resort captive-breeding program.

The final wild California condor was captured in 1987, leaving the species surviving only in captivity. Captive breeding at facilities including the San Diego Wild Animal Park and Los Angeles Zoo increased the population, and releases back into the wild began in California in 1991. Additional reintroduction sites followed in Arizona, Utah, and Baja California, Mexico.

“Extinct in the wild” did not mean the species was globally extinct: living birds remained under human care. That distinction is central to the condor’s recovery story. The species is still Critically Endangered, and conservation teams continue monitoring released birds for lead exposure, nesting success, and survival.