Following the Northern Bald Ibis

Posted by Rosemary Drisdelle Oct 25, 2006

The Northern Bald Ibis, or Waldrapp, is a critically endangered bird: once common in Europe, hunting wiped the species out there several hundred years ago. They have survived in Africa and the Middle East but there may be fewer than 1000 of the birds left alive today in the wild. Two wild flocks are known: one spends summers in Syria and the other is a non-migratory flock living in Morocco. Until now, no one knew where the Syrian birds went when they left Syria to migrate south for the winter each year.

In 2006, a cooperative group including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the Government of Syria, and Birdlife Middle East teamed up to track the migration of the Syrian flock by tagging them with satellite transmitters. Three tagged birds have now been tracked to a remote location in Ethiopia. If they stay in this location for the winter, we will know where conservation efforts are urgently required to keep them safe until they migrate north again.

It looks as though bird tagging with satellite transmitters may be coming into its own as a tool for species conservation.

Source: Northern Bald Ibis in Syria (RSPB)

Related content:

White-faced Ibis

Thoth