There could soon be 59 "national parks" in the National Park System.

The birth of a chick earlier this year to a pair of nesting California condors was cause for celebration at Pinnacles National Monument, but scientists tracking the health of the young bird have bad news. Due to extremely high levels of lead in its blood, it's been necessary to evacuate the bird from its nest to a specialized facility for intensive treatment. Is lead ammunition the culprit?

Two species of birds that hold tenuously to survival are expected to benefit from a partnership recently signed between the National Park Service and the Argentine Administracion de Parques Nacionales. Through the partnership, the United States and Argentina will continue to expand on previous work to benefit the future of the California condor and its slightly larger relative, the Andean condor.

Many of the visitors to Pinnacles National Monument in California hope for a glimpse of a rare California Condor in the wild. Thanks to the park's Artist in Residence program, they can also enjoy a beautiful stained glass depiction of a condor in flight.