Endangered condors lay 10 eggs at the Oregon Zoo

PORTLAND — California condors have laid 10 eggs, with one more possibly on the way, at the Oregon Zoo.

The Oregonian reports that’s the most eggs since the Portland zoo joined the effort to save the critically endangered species in 2003 with a captive breeding program. The zoo has 11 breeding pairs and 38 condors total.

For the first time this year the zoo plans to transfer two to four of the eggs to California where they’ll be placed in nests in the wild.

The rest of the eggs will be hatching in coming weeks at the zoo’s wildlife conservation center in Clackamas County. It’s off-limits to the public so condors don’t grow accustomed to people before they are released.