Newsletter 24/07/2020
This year, a total of 12 Northern Bald Ibises already returned to Überlingen in Baden-Württemberg, and 7 of them have been seen simultaneously in the last weeks (see photo). These are far more birds then expected based on our previous experience. As already reported, this year, breeding did not take place in Überlingen, due to the management limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On May 7, the male Zoppo landed in the breeding area of Überlingen at Lake Constance. He is the first adult Northern Bald Ibis to return to this former breeding area independently, 400 years after extinction.
The Northern Bald Ibis is a migratory bird which was native in Central Europe until the 17th century, before it became extinct due to the huge hunting pressure. Today the Northern Bald Ibis is one of the most endangered bird species worldwide. In the context of an EU project (LIFE+ Biodiversity), with partners in Austria, Italy and Germany, the species is to be reintroduced in Europe.
