Condor! We shout as we direct our eyes to the skies in awe of this magnificent bird. Entranced our heads swivel as if we are undergoing an eye exam admiring it effortlessly rides the thermals gliding through the glaciated peaks and rocky cliffs scavenging for carrion. Due to the sheer size and energy required for flight, it relies on these thermals and may only need to flap its wings once every hour. It's the largest flying bird on earth with a wingspan nearing 11 feet. It's one of the most sacred animals in the Andes, and if you are ever fortunate enough to see one, you will see why. Considered a symbol of power and health, in Inca cosmology the bird represents the upper world (Hanan Pacha). The Inca believed the condor brought the sun up every day. It's an animal worth protecting. (Shot taken from the Cedros Valley in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru).
