Spanish authorities, in collaboration with conservation groups, are developing a plan to reintroduce the critically endangered Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita) to the Iberian Peninsula. The species has been extinct in Europe for over 300 years, with the last wild European populations disappearing in the 17th century.
The plan involves sourcing birds from a successful captive breeding program in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, which itself relies on individuals from the main wild population in Morocco. This Moroccan population, located in the Souss-Massa National Park, is the only remaining self-sustaining wild colony in the world, with numbers having recovered from near extinction to over 700 breeding pairs due to intensive conservation efforts.
The reintroduction project, led by the Andalusian government and organizations like the Junta de Andalucía's Environment Department, aims to establish a new breeding colony in the region. The strategy includes using captive-bred birds for release and follows similar, partially successful reintroduction efforts already undertaken in Austria and Germany.
Experts cite habitat loss, hunting, and pesticide use as historical causes for the bird's European extinction. The current international effort highlights the importance of cross-border conservation for species survival, with the Moroccan population serving as a vital genetic reservoir for the species' recovery in its former range.
