Unusual animal behavior at Sequoia National Park amid pandemic

PARKS WERE SO EMPTY IT CAUSEDSOME WILDLIFE TO BEHAVEDIFFERENTLY,INCLUDING THE CALIFORNIA CONDORWHICH WAS SEEN AT THEPARK RECENTLY."THEY HADN'T BEEN SEEN LANDINGIN THEPARKS IN ABOUT 50 YEARS SO ITWAS A REALLY BIG DEAL."NATIONAL PARK OFFICIALS SAYSCALIFORNIA CONDORS WERECONSISTENTLY SEEN THROUGHOUTSEQUOIANATIONAL PARK UNTIL THE LATE1970S, BUT OBSERVATIONSBECAME INCREASINGLY RARE AS THEPOPULATIONDECLINED.

OVER THE YEARS THEPOPULATION HAS BEGUN BOUNCINGBACK, BUT NO CONDORS WERE SEENIN SEQUOIA -- UNTIL JULY.

ANDANOTHER SIGHTING BEFORE THAT --A BEAR BEING SPOTTEDON ONE OF THE PARKS WILDLIFECAMERAS ON A TRAIL NORMALLYONLY USED BY PEOPLE."AND HE JUST LOOKED LIKE HE WASVERYINTENTLY READING THIS SIGN ANDIT WAS REALLY FUNNY."THESE TYPES OF SIGHTING AREPROBABLY LESS LIKELY NOW THATPEOPLE ARE ONCE AGAIN ALLOWED TOROAM THE PARKS AFTER AMONTHS-LONG CLOSURE.

MANYNATIONAL PARKS, INCLUDINGSEQUOIA AND KINGS, NOW ALLOWINGVISITORS TOENJOY THE OUTDOORS."WE DEFINITELY HAVE ALL OF OURTRAILS,PICNIC AREAS, OUR ROADS AREOPEN, PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO DRIVETHROUGH BOTHPARKS."KAWASAKI-YEE SAYS THE PARKS ALSORECENTLY REOPENED THREEOF THEIR CAMPGROUNDS.

THEY ARERESERVATIONONLY AND MOST OF THE DATES FORTHE SUMMER HAVE BEENBOOKED ALREADY.

WHAT'S NOT OPEN?VISITOR CENTERS,BECAUSE THEY ARE INDOORS ANDPOSE CONCERNS OVER VIRUSSPREAD.

THE PARK IS HOWEVERBEGINNING TO OFFER SOMESERVICES OUTDOORS IN FRONT OFVISITOR CENTERS."WE'RE STARTING TO GEAR THAT UPA LITTLEBIT JUST BECAUSE WE DO SEE ANEED FOR VISITOR CONTACT."NOW SINCE MODIFICATIONS RELATEDTO THE PANDEMIC AREVERY FLUID, OFFICIALS SAY IT'SBEST TO CHECK OUT THE PARK'SWEBSITE FOR CURRENT CONDITIONSBEFORE HEADINGOVER.

IN BAKERSFIELD AUSTINWESTFALL 23ABCCONNECTING YOU.