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Critical Habitat for the endangered California condor in southern California is at risk of development. The Tejon Ranch Company is currently seeking a blanket "incidental take" permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which would allow it to harm, harass, and even kill endangered condors during construction and operation of its proposed major developments on Tejon Ranch in the Tehachapi Mountains.

The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service is preparing to grant an "Incidental Take Permit" for condors in association with a proposed Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for urban development at Tejon Ranch. The Service has never granted such a permit for the extremely imperiled condor and the Center is opposing issuance of such a permit. Only 18 condors were in the wild in southern California as of Fall 2005. Much of Tejon Ranch has been designated by the Service as critical habitat for the condor, since it contains key roosting and feeding areas for southern California condors, important condor flight pathways and the only significant feeding habitat close to the Sespe-Piru condor nesting area.

The Tejon Ranch Company has an unfortunate history of opposing condor recovery efforts, going so far as to file a lawsuit against the Service that sought to block any condor reintroduction near Tejon Ranch, its core historic habitat. Proposed developments and operations which would be covered under the HCP could seriously threaten the recovery of southern California's reintroduced condor population. In addition to destroying or adversely modifying critical habitat for the condor, the developments could expose condors to significant human activity, noise, and pollutants. The Service should not grant any permit to harm or kill condors, especially for a company with such a poor track record and one that is attempting to develop condor critical habitat.