The bird's exalted status in ancient Egypt suggests the species used to be widespread there. Known to the pharaohs as the crested ibis, it was regularly featured in jewelry and art, and, like the sacred ibis, had its own hieroglyph which symbolized splendor and brilliance.
The ancient Egyptians believed the human soul turned into the bird when departing for the afterlife. Their mummified remains have been found inside tombs and there's evidence to show they were kept domestically.
Unlike other ibises, the northern bald ibis isn't really a wetland bird, instead preferring cliffs as breeding sites and to forage for insects, lizards, and other small animals on cultivated land. In the past it even nested on castles and in towns.
Experts believe this habit of living near people was the main cause of the bird's downfall. They say this made it vulnerable to hunting, habitat loss, human disturbance, and pesticide poisoning.
Iridescent Feathers
Also called the hermit or Waldrapp ibis, the bird is easily recognized with its long, curved beak, bald head, and black, shaggy plumage which gleams in iridescent shades of purple and green.
Bowden says the success of the Souss-Massa National Park program increases the chances of this impressive bird again being seen in its old haunts.
He said, "With more ibises alive in captivity than in the wild a breakthrough in reintroduction techniques coupled with successful conservation measures at key sites could see this charismatic bird restored to parts of its former range.
"Coordinating work on a release program, while ensuring that the wild population remains viable, gives this species a far more encouraging future than seemed possible five years ago."
While previous reintroduction attempts have failed, Madge says information gleaned from Morocco's wild colony could prove vital to the success of future attempts.
"We can find out a lot more about their habits and how they survive in their natural environment than we can from captive birds," he added.
One release project is already under way. Austrian-based scientists plan to restore the species to the European Alps after a gap of over 400 years. They are currently using microlight aircraft to teach the zoo-bred birds how to migrate south and escape the mountains in winter.
And if the Alps can be re-colonized, why not Egypt? This bird of "splendor and brilliance" may yet return to the land of the pharaohs.
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