Northern Bald Ibis: A Remarkable Comeback from Extinction

The Northern Bald Ibis, once nearly extinct, has made a remarkable recovery thanks to dedicated conservation efforts. This article highlights the initiatives that helped restore its population and the importance of this species in maintaining biodiversity. Despite its resurgence, challenges remain for the Northern Bald Ibis, making ongoing conservation efforts crucial for ensuring its survival and continued presence in the wild.

Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series dedicated to addressing the environmental challenges our planet faces, alongside the solutions available. In partnership with CNN, Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative aims to raise awareness and educate the public about critical sustainability issues while encouraging positive actions.

After the Northern Bald Ibis vanished from Europe over 300 years ago, many believed that the 16th-century illustrations showcasing its shiny feathers and elongated, curved beak were purely imaginary.

This bird species, once spread across three continents, was so esteemed in ancient times that it has its own hieroglyph, which depicts its unique outline representing the word "akh," meaning “spirit.”

By the 1990s, however, this once-abundant species was regarded as one of the rarest birds globally, with only 59 pairs remaining in the wild—entirely in Morocco—due to factors such as hunting, habitat destruction, and pesticide use.

Thanks to diligent conservation efforts in Morocco, the population has now risen to over 500 individuals, prompting the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species to update its status from critically endangered to endangered in 2018.

Additionally, a pioneering reintroduction program has enabled these ibises to migrate in Europe for the first time since the 1600s, establishing a managed migratory population of about 270 birds. Historically, the Northern Bald Ibis inhabited Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, but it now occupies only a small portion of its previous territory. Typically, breeding colonies are found on cliffs and rocky ledges, as well as in castles and ruins within urban areas. Their diet mainly consists of insects, worms, and larvae, although they often have to adapt their foraging habits due to their remote habitats.

Morocco houses the largest remaining wild population of the Northern Bald Ibis, attributed in part to extensive conservation measures. The establishment of the Souss-Massa National Park on Morocco’s west coast in 1991 played a vital role in safeguarding nesting and feeding grounds. In 1994, a research initiative was launched to monitor the endangered species. According to the IUCN, the Moroccan population, which does not migrate seasonally, is now stable. In a recent image, an ibis is seen foraging in Agadir, Morocco.

The Middle Eastern population of the Northern Bald Ibis was primarily located in Turkey and Syria, renowned for its extensive migration route—an epic journey of thousands of miles to and from Ethiopia, traversing Eritrea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. However, populations drastically declined in the 20th century, and the colony was presumed regionally extinct when no birds returned to Syria in 2015.

Historically known as the hermit ibis, this species was also present in parts of southern Europe until the 16th century. Reintroduction projects are currently in progress, including one in Andalusia, Spain, that commenced in 2004. Adoptive human caretakers have raised chicks born in captivity, gradually releasing them into the wild. A photograph from 2008 shows a caretaker wearing a fake ibis on his helmet while looking out to sea at a hermit ibis sanctuary near Barbate de Franco, Spain.

Another distinctive initiative aims to establish a migratory population in Austria and Germany, spearheaded by Austrian biologist Johannes Fritz. In 2003, Fritz and his conservation and research team, Waldrappteam, began releasing captive birds into the wild, but those raised in zoos were unfamiliar with migration paths. Inspired by the 1996 film “Fly Away Home,” which depicts a teenager guiding a flock of migrating geese with a hang glider, Fritz devised a plan to teach the migration route by leading the flock using an ultralight aircraft, flying from Germany to Italy. In a recent image, a group of ibises follows the Waldrappteam's hang glider during migration.

According to Waldrappteam, there have been 17 migratory journeys since, occurring each August and September, leading to a current population of about 270 birds. In 2023, they altered the migration route to conclude in Spain instead of Italy due to environmental factors. A photo from 2022 depicts a Waldrapp team member maneuvering an ibis into a cage for transportation to an area in Germany near Lake Constance, where a modern colony of the species resides.

Today, most European birds have become self-sufficient and no longer require human assistance. However, the Northern Bald Ibis continues to encounter several threats. Its diet primarily consists of insects, making it vulnerable to the impacts of pesticide use on its food sources. In 2023, poaching accounted for 17% of the migrating ibises' deaths in Europe, while climate change also poses challenges, affecting migration timing and increasing obstacles along their journey. A recent image captures a group of ibises flying above the clouds during their migration from Germany to Southern Europe.

For questions or comments write to writers@bostonbrandmedia.com