Northern Bald Ibis no longer Critically Endangered

22/11/2018

Following BirdLife's annual update to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Northern Bald Ibis has been removed from the Critically Endangered category, bringing the number of bird species rescued from the brink of extinction since 2000 up to at least 26.

Pink Pigeon is another species that has been downlisted – now classed as Vulnerable – following decades of invasive species control and habitat restoration on Mauritius. However, despite the positive status changes, the IUCN Red List update also reflected the harsh reality of the growing challenges in conservation, with a host of species placed in higher threat categories.

Prior to the 2018 assessment, Northern Bald Ibis was among 222 Critically Endangered bird species, all with a genuine threat of extinction. As recently as 1998, only 59 pairs remained, almost exclusively confined to the Souss-Massa National Park in Morocco. However, a range of conservation measures – including the employment of local fishermen to protect the birds – has seen the population rise to nearly 300 individuals, some of which spread to two new breeding sites last year. Such numbers are still low and the ibis is still categorised as Endangered, but semi-wild populations in Turkey and high-profile captive release programmes in Spain offer hope of continued recovery across its former range.

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Two iconic birds brought back from the brink of extinction

By: Krissy Aguilar - 

INQUIRER.net / 01:16 PM November 26, 2018

Two exceptionally rare birds have been saved from the brink of extinction, thanks to long-term conservation programs.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species has downlisted the risk profiles of both Northern Bald Ibis and Pink Pigeon.

Once down to just 59 pairs in the wild in 1998, the Northern Bald Ibis population is now recovering thanks to conservation action.

It has shown one of the most dramatic improvements, being downlisted to endangered from critically endangered.

Meanwhile, the Pink Pigeon’s populations are stabilizing after once having only 10 individuals in the wild in 1990.

Read more: 

After a 400-Year Absence, A Rare Ibis Returns to European Skies

The northern bald ibis is critically endangered, with fewer than 1,000 existing in the wild. But a German group is reintroducing these birds in Europe, where they once thrived, and is using ultralight aircraft to lead them on migrations south toward the Mediterranean.

BY CHRISTIAN SCHWÄGERL • JULY 16, 2018

With its black body and wide wings, the bird flying along Austria’s Salzach Valley on a mild summer day looks, at first glance, a lot like a crow. But when it lands in a nearby meadow, it quickly becomes clear that this is a very different animal.

The bird’s iridescent feathers give it an almost magical appearance. Its long, curved beak enables it to hunt for small animals, and its naked head, with feathers that point straight into the air, Mohawk-style, make it look like no other bird in Europe.

This particular bird even has a name: Liethe. It is a waldrapp, or northern bald ibis, a species that is critically endangered in the wild. In former centuries, the species occurred widely in northern and eastern Africa, Asia Minor, Arabia, and parts of Europe. The ancient Egyptians revered the northern bald ibis as an afterworld divinity, and its likeness can clearly be seen in hieroglyphs dating back thousands of years.

Today, however, all that’s left of the northern bald ibis is a small population of around 600 wild birds in Morocco, a semi-wild population — dependent on captive breeding — of about 200 individuals in southern Turkey, and perhaps a few individuals in East Africa. A tiny remnant population in Syria, numbering seven individuals, was discovered in 2002. But that population dwindled to a single bird in 2014, and an expert on the northern bald ibis in the Middle East says the bird is now extinct in Syria, with the civil war acting as “the classic straw that broke the camel’s back.”

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Conservation efforts by Turkish ministries boosts number of endangered ibis by 6 times

DAILY SABAH

ISTANBUL

February 1, 2018

The number of endangered northern bald ibis in Turkey have almost multiplied by six in the past 16 years, thanks to conservation efforts by the Ministry of Forestry and Natural Resources, and the Ministry of Environment, reports said Thursday.

According to a statement released by the ministry of forestry, the number of northern bald ibis, also known as Geronticus eremita, increased to 240 in 2017 from just 42 in 2001.

Some 47 endangered birds were born last year alone, the ministry added.

In cooperation with the ministry of environment and the ministry of forestry, a semi-wild colony was established in southeastern Şanlıurfa province's Birecik district to prevent the extinction of the northern bald ibis.

Here, the birds were put under protection after the breeding season to prevent migration, which usually takes place in July or August.

The Minister of Forestry and Water Works, Veysel Eroğlu, said that the ministry started using tracking devices on birds in 2008 to observe their migration patterns.

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Record breeding success for Critically Endangered Northern Bald Ibis

The Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita has had an eventful and turbulent relationship with humans that has resulted in a graph of its population decline that matches its iconic red down-curved beak.

But latest breeding successes resulting from work of BirdLife Partners and the Government of Morocco gives hope for a harmonious relationship again in the future.

The large glossy-black bird once had an extensive range that spread across North Africa, the Middle East and Europe and has been idolised by humans as a symbol of fertility and virtue. Yet ironically human pressures have caused it to struggle breeding, and its dramatic range-reduction renders it classified today as Critically Endangered: reaching an all-time low at the end of the 20th Century with only 50 breeding pairs remaining. Today, 99% of the remaining wild birds are found in Morocco.

With that in mind, it is a great pleasure to announce that colonies in Morocco have had record reproductive success this year - the symbol of fertility now managing to live up to its tradition!

For the third year in a row, the colonies at Souss-Massa National Park and nearby Tamri, both Important Bird & Biodiversity Areas in south-west Morocco, formed a record number of breeding pairs, reaching 116 pairs in 2015.

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Northern bald ibises fit for their journey to Tuscany

Date: August 21, 2015

Source: University of Veterinary Medicine -- Vienna

Summary: January 2014 saw the launch of one of Europe’s largest species conservation projects. The project’s aim is to reintroduce the northern bald ibis, a species of migratory bird, to Europe by the year 2019. Veterinarians make sure the animals are fit for their journey to the south. 31 hand-raised northern bald ibises are healthy and will begin their migration coming Saturday, following an ultralight aircraft towards Tuscany. Other 17 juvenile birds raised by their parents will follow experienced adult birds.

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ISIS takeover pushes rare bird to brink of extinction

The caretaker of the nearly-extinct northern bald ibises was forced to flee after Islamic State took over Palmyra.

The rare northern bald ibis could soon be extinct as a result of the Islamic State takeover of the ancient Syrian town of Palmyra, according to a report by the BBC on Monday. Three extremely rare ibises were kept in captivity in the central-Syrian city. Their condition has been unknown since the caretakers were forced to flee the town after Islamic State militants stormed the city on May 20. 

A search is also underway for an important fourth, female bird, named Zenobia. The Society for the Protection of Animals in Lebanon said that she is the only one of the birds to know the ibises's winter migration route to Ethiopia. A $1,000 reward is being offered for anyone with leads on the Zenobia's location. They say that without her, the birds kept in captivity would not be able to be released.

Read on ...

Hope for Northern bald ibis as Moroccan population has best ever breeding year

Record season for Morocco's Northern bald ibises

September 2013. The largest fully wild population of Critically Endangered Northern Bald Ibis has had its second most successful breeding season on record, with the number of breeding pairs at its highest since surveys began in the 1980s. The colonies at Souss-Massa National Park and nearby Tamri, in south-west Morocco, fledged 148 young, bringing the total population at the end of the breeding season to 443 birds.

Two, tiny populations separated by more than 1000 miles

Once widespread in North Africa and Europe, the Northern Bald Ibis survives in two disjunct populations. Well to the east of the Moroccan birds is the semi-captive population at Birecik in Turkey, and south of that a tiny remnant population at Palmyra, Syria. There is also a newly formed population of Northen bald ibis in southern Spain recently created from captive bred birds released into Andalucia.

Wardens

Management and conservation of the Moroccan population is supervised by SEO/BirdLife (BirdLife in Spain) in conjunction with High Commission for Water and Forest and Fight against desertification and GREPOM (BirdLife in Morocco). SEO/BirdLife has hired seven wardens to protect and monitor the colonies, with funding from HSH Prince Albert II of Morocco, the Species Champion, through the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme. The wardens provide daily fresh water for the birds, and prevent disturbance. This year they succeeded in persuading a persistent group of anglers to move away from one sub-colony in the National Park, allowing the ibises to begin nesting.

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Reintroduced Northern bald ibis fly south for winter

Hope that Turkish bald ibis will provide a boost for Middle East population

August 2013. Following a successful breeding season for the semi-wild Northern Bald Ibis population at Birecik in Turkey, six of the birds were released as part of a trial re-introduction in late July. 

A dedicated team first caught up all the birds for the annual ringing/check of the birds at the Birecik ‘Kelaynak' breeding station run by the Turkish Ministry of Nature Protection and National Parks, and six were selected for release in the hope that they would survive and migrate. Three were fitted with satellite transmitters, and to reduce the chance of persecution, their bright rings were replaced with much less conspicuous ones. Four of the birds were 2013 juveniles, and in addition, two one-year old birds were also released.

Migrated very close to Palmyra

For the first two weeks, the birds remained very close to the breeding station, feeding at a number of local sites in the area, as well as taking supplementary food provided. This week, however, excitement mounts as five of the birds have departed south, and the intriguing news is that they have stopped off very close to Palmyra in Syria, where the remaining wild population there has this year sadly declined to just one individual.

Whether the birds will stay in the area or continue their ‘migration' further south will be discovered from the satellite tags. The work was recommended as a priority at last year's inaugural meeting of the AEWA International Working Group for Northern Bald Ibis, held at Jazan in Saudi Arabia and by the International Advisory Group for Northern Bald Ibis. Several partners are involved in the work in addition to the Turkish Ministry, with satellite tags provided by Doğa Derneği (BirdLife in Turkey), with Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) support.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/bald-ibis-turkey.html

Rare mystery bird found in Stretford Mall car park

A RARE and critically endangered bird was found in the car park of Stretford Mall by astonished shoppers.

It was initially believed that the northern bald ibis had escaped from a zoo in Stoke some years ago, but experts at Chester Zoo are baffled as to where the bird came from.

Can Sonmez, 39, and his two children saw the ibis as they were walking to the mall on Saturday, July 20.

“It was basically flying up and down and the literally fell down the side of the building. When I actually picked it up it looked quite lethargic as if it hadn’t fed for a while.

“I knew it was an ibis as we’d seen them before at Chester Zoo, but I didn’t realise it was a critically endangered species of ibis.”

Can, of St Andrews Road, Stretford, then took the bird home and called Chester Zoo, the curator of which collected the mystery bird a couple of days later.

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Northern Bald ibis breeding in Spain

Reintroduction programme providing useful insights into Bald ibis ecology - Our thanks to Proyecto Eremita for this information and the images

June 2013. After the news from Syria that the Northen Bald ibis population there is now functionally extinct (Just one bird returned to Syria this year), some better news from the breeding and reintroduction project in Spain. The programme in Spain (Proyecto Eremita) has been releasing a few birds in Andalucia over the last few years; by 2012 the population had grown to more than 70 birds.

Photo credit Proyecto Eremita

The 2012 project began with a total of 73 free flying birds (37 males and 36 females). The group was divided between two feeding and resting areas. As usual, the group moved through the grasslands near the release site, which are used exclusively for farming. The second foraging area was a golf course and a fighting bull farm located 11 km away from the aviary. This is very close to the former lagoon of La Janda, an important ecological site. The majority of the birds used both areas although some individuals only moved in one area. It is important to note that the birds during this year did not receive any supplementary feeding.

More

Breeding success for very rare birds

Published on 30/05/2013 14:40

Welcome to Animal Magic! This is the first in a series of fortnightly columns where we take an in-depth look at some of Tilgate Nature Centre’s popular, and less well known, animal residents.

Nature centre manager Simon Woodard writes: This week we explore the world of the Northern Bald Ibis and explain why we are so proud to have them.

Appearance

Eight Northern Bald Ibis adults and three chicks call Tilgate Nature Centre home.

These birds – which are also known as Waldrapps – are distinctive creatures with glossy black feathers that have hints of green and violet, and a long curved beak which is excellent for finding food in the ground and in rocky crevices.

Their most noticeable feature is a bald, red face and head.

During breeding season the red colour brightens considerably as the birds attempt to attract a mate.

Behaviour

In the wild, Northern Bald Ibis’ are found in rocky habitats and usually near water, so our birds have boulders, a stream and a pond in their enclosure.

Visitors can see the birds digging in the ground with their long beaks, preening each other and even sunbathing with their wings outstretched.

Importance

We are especially proud to have these birds, as the species is critically endangered.

They were once widespread throughout the Middle East, Europe and Africa but there are now fewer than 1,000 birds in the wild – with the main population in Morocco.

Tilgate Nature Centre welcomed its first pair of Northern Bald Ibis’ in 1996 as part of a European breeding programme, which has seen birds bred here joining new colonies across Britain.

The future

We hadn’t bred these birds for a few years, but things have improved since we welcomed three young male birds from Harewood House in Leeds in 2011; and we have recently celebrated the hatching of two nests of chicks.

The chicks will remain in the nest for seven weeks and won’t develop their distinctive red heads until they are two years old.

The parents take turns sitting on the eggs and feeding their chicks.

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The end of a (sub)species? Syrian bald ibis population reduced to just 1 bird

Last Northern Bald ibis in Syria?

May 2013. Despite the current crisis in Syria, the Northern bald Ibis field team have continued to monitor the ibis, and have reported the sad news that only one Northern bald ibis has returned to the breeding site at Palmyra this spring. Unfortunately, there are no signs of any more birds so far returning from their migration to Ethiopia. The returning female, known as ‘Zenobia' was last year paired to ‘Odeinat', the last male. Odeinat was fitted with a small satellite tag that stopped transmitting in southern Saudi Arabia in July 2012 

4 birds seen in Ethiopia

It has not been possible to search for Odeinat, as the last signals did not give an accurate location. Subsequently, a total of four birds was seen briefly in January this year by Yilma Abebe and Tariku Dagne (a visit supported by the Ethiopian Natural History Society and the Culture and Tourism Office of Ethiopia, with funds from RSPB) at the usual Ethiopian highland wintering site, but it now seems clear that only one of these birds has returned to the breeding area.

Rediscovered in 2002

This looks ominously like it may be the end for the relict eastern population of the species, having beenrediscovered in 2002 when there were 3 breeding pairs. Despite huge efforts the colony dwindled to just one pair in the past two years and now it seems to just the one bird. This comes at a time when coordinated efforts are strengthening and indeed after the establishment of the new International Working Group was held in Jazan, Saudi Arabia in November 2012

Further release of captive birds?

Among the hopes for maintaining the eastern population are further releases from the former colony site at Birecik in SE Turkey where a semi-wild population persists. Meanwhile the only other wild population, which is also the subject of dedicated conservation efforts by Souss-Massa National Park and the Spanish BirdLife International Partner SEO /BirdLife, has remained relatively stable (some recent increases) over the past 20 years despite the growing development pressures, but still only comprises just over 100 breeding pairs at only two colonies in Morocco.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/northern-bald-ibis-syria.html