Species conservation success
The Northern Bald Ibis was downlisted in the IUCN red list of endangered species and is returning to Europe
Newsletter 27/11/2018
Since 1994, the Northern Bald Ibis (NBI) was categorized as critically endangered in the IUCN Red List. Now, after 24 years, its status changed. Since August 2018, the NBI is now categorized as endangered.
The reason for this change is in particular the positive development of the last wild NBI population in Morocco. From 56 breeding pairs in the 90s, the population has grown continuously to currently 147 breeding pairs. In addition, breeding attempts outside the breeding area were observed for the first time last year. This success is due in particular to the Moroccan authorities, who are very committed to the protection of the two colonies. But it is also a success of several international NGOs involved in the conservation of NBIs in Morocco.
However, the Moroccan population no longer shows the species-specific migratory behaviour. With the disappearance of the last individual of the Syrian breeding colony in 2013, the NBI was extinct as a migratory bird in the wild. But that, too, has changed for the better. In the context of the European LIFE project, a population of more than 100 wild birds that show the species-specific migratory behaviour has been established within five years.
2018 was a very successful year for the LIFE project. In the two breeding areas Burghausen in Bavaria and Kuchl in Salzburg, 26 young birds fledged. Another 6 juveniles from Zurich Zoo and Tierpark Rosegg in Carinthia were added to the population to increase the genetic variability. These young birds followed their conspecifics to the wintering area in autumn. In addition, 29 young and hand-raised birds were led to the wintering area in the course of the human-led migration. With these 61 young birds, the wild population has grown to 105 animals this year despite some losses.
Success stories such as those from the NBI are rare and valuable in conservation, even if the species continues to be classified as "endangered". Further intensive efforts are needed to sustain the survival of the NBI in Morocco, Europe and elsewhere.
95% of the Moroccan population is concentrated in two colonies on the Atlantic coast. This entails the risk that the entire stock may disappear as a result of a natural disaster, illness or even as a result of climate change, especially as the lack of migratory behaviour probably also restricts the ecological flexibility of the population. Therefore, further protective measures are essential.
The migrating population in Europe is not yet able to survive independently. Every year, young birds from zoos have to be released into the wild. In addition, measures against illegal bird hunting and electrocution are necessary to ensure the survival of the population. Also the reintroduction of another non-migratory NBI population in Andalusia still requires the annual release of young birds from zoos.
The aim of our project is to sustainably reintroduce the NBI as a migratory bird in Europe and to achieve a further downlisting in the IUCN Red List. In addition, we hope that our successfully applied methods will also enable the conservation of other threatened migratory bird species in the future (Picture: Anne-Gabriela Schmalstieg).
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