Endangered Birds Fly High: Scientists Guide Migratory Flock Back to Ancient Routes

A group of scientists in Austria is leading a flock of critically endangered birds on a 2,800-kilometer journey to their ancestral wintering grounds. The birds, known as Waldrapp, or northern bald ibises, have been extinct in Central Europe for 300 years. This project, the Waldrappteam, is the first time this method has been used to reintroduce a migratory species. Scientists are guiding the flock of 36 birds, who were raised in captivity, by following them in an ultralight aircraft. The aircraft, equipped with a small fan-like engine and a yellow parachute, allows the researchers to fly alongside the birds and encourage them with gestures and calls. This unique approach teaches the birds the migratory route that has been lost for generations. The birds are taken from the zoo where they are bred at just a few days old, allowing the scientists to raise them and imprint them with the human companions they will follow. Once they reach their wintering grounds in Andalusia, southern Spain, the birds are expected to be self-sufficient. This ambitious project aims to restore the endangered species and ensure its future.