The Projecte Ibis Ermità is advancing with the hatching of northern bald ibises eggs at the Zoobotánico of Jerez and the MiniHollywood Oasys of Almería, some of which will soon join the aviary in Alt Empordà.
Shortly after the first release of ibis eremita by the Fundació Alive, the Projecte Ibis Ermità continues with its reintroduction plan for the species. Al Zoobotánico de Jerez i al MiniHollywood Oasys d’Almeria s’han registrat els naixements de nous exemplars de cries d’ibis ermità (Geronticus eremita), una espècie d’au en perill crític d’extinció. A milestone directly related to the Alive project: some of these ibises are destined to join the aviary, thereby reinforcing the Catalan colony.
On this occasion, Marina, the biologist and coordinator of the Projecte Ibis Ermità, travelled to Andalusia to experience first-hand the hatching process and the care of the chicks.
First stop: MIniHollywood Oasys, Almería
With a hire van, the biologist from Alive set off on her journey, heading for Almería. Once at the MiniHollywood Oasys, she was able to access the zoo’s facilities and see at first hand the enclosure where the northern bald ibisises live, along with other species that are part of the centre’s conservation programme.
While walking around the facilities, they had the opportunity to observe the animals in their environment and understand how the breeding areas were organised. Then, the centre’s team guided her to the designated incubation area, the heart of the entire reproductive process.
There, the incubators were opened and the eggs removed, establishing the methodology for identifying and tracking each egg and its respective chick: a crucial step to ensure the welfare of the embryos during transport and to maintain the traceability of each future chick.
Once identified and recorded, the eggs were carefully placed in the portable incubator prepared for the transfer, ensuring the necessary temperature and humidity conditions for their survival during the journey.
Second stop: Zoobotánico de Jerez
With the eggs in safe hands, or rather, in a good incubator, the biologist from the Projecte Ibis Ermità set course for Jerez de la Frontera, where she was welcomed by the Zoobotánico de Jerez, a European centre of excellence for the captive breeding of the northern bald ibis. Once there, the eggs were transferred to the centre’s incubators.
The technical team at the Zoobotánico then carried out a thorough check of the condition and developmental stage of each egg, a critical step to confirm that the embryos had survived the transport without incident and that the incubation process was proceeding correctly.
A key collaboration for the future of the ibis
This journey is a concrete example of the networking that underpins conservation programmes for the most threatened species. The coordination between MiniHollywood Oasys Almería, the Zoobotánico de Jerez and the Fundació Alive, as part of the Projecte Ibis Ermità, allows resources, knowledge and individuals to be pooled to maximise the survival chances of each individual.
Alive is closely monitoring the progress of the incubation process and the care of the chicks that have already hatched, awaiting the day when we can welcome the new members of the Empordà family.
