Captive-raised birds, which are trained and released regularly, have continued to migrate and reproduce in the wild. As a result, Europe’s ibis population has been growing. “But now we face a serious new problem: climate change,” says Fritz.
As warm spells in early autumn last longer, flocks migrating on their own depart later. Too late, in fact. In recent years, the birds made it to the Alps but were unable to cross the mountains before wintry weather set in. “We had to capture the birds, transfer them in crates, and release them on the other side,” says Fritz. Otherwise, the ibises would have starved or frozen to death.
But driving the birds wasn’t a long-term solution. “We needed an alternative, or the reintroduced population would become extinct within a few years,” says Fritz. So last year, he devised a new route to a wintering area in Spain. The 2,300 kilometer (1,400 mile)-long trip is three times the length of previous paths. But it skirts around the Alps instead of crossing them. So even if the ibises get a late start, they won’t be thwarted by cold and should be able to complete their journey.
When Fritz spoke with Science World, he’d been flying with the birds for five weeks. About 10 days later, they reached the ibises’ winter destination in Spain. Fritz will be watching anxiously for the ibises’ return in the spring. He remains hopeful that the birds he loves can beat the odds again. “With some support, we have a chance for the northern bald ibis to survive and sustain itself in a changing world,” says Fritz.