Northern bald ibis conservation
The Northern bald ibis was once spread over large parts of North Africa, the Middle East and even southern Europe. It was already extinct in Europe a few hundred years ago and has since disappeared from one area after another. The threats to the species are mainly loss of habitat and extensive illegal hunting. Today, the only stable population of eremitibis is found in Morocco, but thanks to active conservation efforts, the species has now slowly begun to regain parts of its former range in Europe. In 2018, the hermit ibis was upgraded from critically endangered to "only" critically endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
What we do at Nordens Ark
One of the projects fighting to save the Northern bald ibis is Proyecto Eremita. The project works to bring the species back to Spain through breeding and release. Nordens Ark supports the project by sending Northern bald ibises born in the park for release. In 2021, Nordens Ark sent its first 10 young ibises to Proyecto Eremita in Andalucía, Spain. The ibises were released into the wild and directly joined a group of wild ibises in the area. All went well and in the following year, a total of 27 pairs bred in the area, compared to just one pair in 2008–2010. Also the number of fledglings reached the highest numbers so far since 2008 - fantastic news!
News from the project – January 2025
During the winter, four northern bald ibises were transported from Nordens Ark to the province of Cádiz in southern Spain for release in collaboration with Proyecto Eremita.
At the start of the summer, this year’s ringing took place in Cádiz, bringing very positive news. The number of breeding pairs reached a record high of 39, and another record was set with 46 chicks ringed at the same time. The total population is now estimated at 260–270 individuals.
The project is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and thanks to its great success in reintroducing the northern bald ibis, releases will now be paused to allow the birds to establish themselves properly.
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