Ancient Bird, Feared to be Extinct, Returns Back to Nature After 300 Years

Northern bald ibis, an ancient bird that was not seen in Europe, fro around three centuries, has returned back to nature.

This bird with distinctive curved beak once lived across three continents. It was drawn in hieroglyphs. It held significance in ancient cultures as it symbolized the word “spirit” in heiroglaphs.

Their number dwindled sharply by late 20th century and only 59 breeding pairs were confined to Morocco. Human activities, including hunting, habitat destruction and pesticide use, drove the bird to verge of extinction.

According to a CNN report, because of dedicated conservation efforts, the northern bald ibis is now making its presence felt in nature.

In Morocco, the conservation initiatives have stabilised the number of northern bald ibis. In 1991, the establishment of the Souss-Massa National Park on Morocco’s west coast provided much-needed protection for the bird’s breeding and feeding habitats.

Today, there are over 500 of these birds in the wild, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has changed its status from “critically endangered” to “endangered.”

Efforts have been initiated to reintroduce the northern bald ibis to Europe, stated the CNN report. In Spain, a programme in Andalusia has successfully reintroduced birds into the wild. The initiative started in 2004, has helped re-establish the species in southern Europe.