The flight trainings at Seekirchen (Salzburg) are largely completed. There are two groups, one with 16 birds and one with 15 birds (one juvenile unfortunately died in July due to a collision with the ultralight). Until the end of July, we trained both groups separately. Those flights proceeded really fine. With great excitement, we anticipated our first attempt to fly with both groups at the same time.
The hearing of the hunter, which shot two Northern Bald Ibises in 2012, has been postponed to December 2015 due to a change of the judge in the process. Indeed, after 4 years, if the lawsuit is not concluded with a verdict it will be closed due to the prescription terms. However, our Italian partners are doing their best to avoid this and some time is still left.
Today at 09:00 p.m., a second hearing takes place in Livorno/Tuscany, regarding the trial against an Italian hunter, charged with the shooting and killing of two Northern Bald Ibises in 2012. The European Commission asks for maximum attention regarding this trial.
Better late than never, the first chick of our famous female “Swiss Northern Bald Ibis” named “Shorty” has hatched. There is also a second egg in the nest, so a sibling may follow.
On June 5 2015, the third `Reason for Hope´ Festival took place in Burghausen. As part of our LIFE+ project the festival was hosted by the City of Burghausen. The main occasion was the official opening of the new Breeding Camp at the defence wall of the Castle of Burghausen.
Yesterday, April 17th, 16 northern bald Ibis chicks where taken out of their nests at the Tierpark Rosegg in Carinthia and transferred to Zoo Vienna. There, they will be handraised by the two human foster parents Corinna Esterer ad Anne-Gabriela Schmalstieg. From today on, visitors of Zoo Vienna can experience the handraising work live. Raising takes place in a container, located near the bald ibis aviary.
The evolution of cooperation is still one of the great mysteries of evolutionary biology, because it is contrary to the general principle that evolution promotes only selfish genes. This week, a paper is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), where we present the V formation flight as a rare example of true cooperation in animals.
Illegal Hunting of highly endangered Northern Bald Ibises in Italy:
Livorno Province, Tuscany, is a hot spot for losses
In autumn 2014, twenty migratory Northern Bald Ibises left their breeding areas Burghausen/Bavaria and Kuchl/Salzburg regularly for autumn migration. They grouped together and departed to the South. However, different to previous years, the group remained North of the Alps, most probable due to the extremely mild weather with temperatures well above 0 C°. Permanent monitoring of the group indicated that they found plenty of food.
This week, the LIFE+ Project Management Team met to terminate and discuss the season 2014. Of course, among other topics, the so far outstanding course of the autumn migration was an important issue.
The majority of our free-roaming migratory Northern Bald Ibises is currently still north of the Alps. Thus, their autumn migration journey is delayed for more than a month. This situation may seem unusual or worrying, but in our view it is rather fascinating and exciting.
Together with Jane Goodall on new paths against illegal bird hunting
On October 12th, the primatologist and UN messenger of peace Jane Goodall signed a pioneering agreement, together with representatives of the Italian hunting associations FIDC and CCT and of the EU LIFE + project ‘Reason for Hope’.
