The society announced Thursday that a “mystery” condor has been discovered at its wildlife sanctuary in the Santa Lucia Mountains.

The juvenile condor was spotted “over the holidays,” said Kelly Sorenson, executive director of Ventana Wildlife Society in a prepared statement. Biologists observed the chick with two adult condors, No. 209 (nicknamed “Shadow”) and No. 231 (“Wild”).

Sorenson said condors 209 and 231 are suspected of nesting in a remote portion of the Ventana Wilderness, in the Arroyo Seco drainage, a place biologists have been unable to enter because of its inaccessibility. They are most likely the parents of the mystery bird, Sorenson said.

“This would be the third chick for No. 209 (“Shadow”), the suspected father, and is perhaps the best Christmas present we could ask for,” Sorenson said. “This is truly exciting to witness as it offers another example of condors surviving on their own.”

The total condor population now stands at 425 individuals (captive and wild), of which 116 are living in the wilds of California.

Condor populations are also found in Baja California, Mexico, Arizona and Utah.

Dennis Taylor can be reached at 726-4371.