Contribution of research to conservation action for the Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita in Morocco

Abstract

The Northern Bald Ibis or Waldrapp Geronticus eremita is a species of arid semi-deserts and steppes, which was formerly widely distributed as a breeding bird across North Africa, the Middle East and the European Alps. Just over 100 breeding pairs now remain in the wild at two sites in Morocco whilst two further wild pairs remain in Syria. There is also a population in Turkey, which is maintained for part of the year in captivity, and a large captive population in zoos. The species is classified by IUCN as ‘Critically Endangered’, the highest threat category. The wild population has grown during the past decade, which represents the first evidence of population growth in the species' recorded history. Conservation action in Morocco has contributed to this recovery. A large part of the contribution of research to conservation action has been to establish and document the value of simple site and species protection. Quantitative assessments of the importance of sites for breeding, roosting and foraging have helped to prevent disturbance and the loss of sites to mass-tourism development. Wardening by members of the local community have reduced disturbance by local people and others and increased the perceived value of the birds. Monitoring has suggested additional ways to improve the breeding status of the species, including the provision of drinking water and removal and deterrence of predators and competitors. These actions have been evaluated by subsequent testing. Steppe and two-year fallows were shown to be the key feeding habitats, and maintaining such non-intensive land uses in future may present major management challenges. The recovery in the Souss-Massa region remains precarious because the population is concentrated in a few places where adverse changes are possible. However, it could provide opportunities for natural extension of the range to formerly occupied sites further north in Morocco.

Breeding ecology and behaviour of the last wild oriental Northern Bald Ibises (Geronticus eremita) in Syria

“…The distances of key feeding grounds from both nesting sites in Syria (Serra et al 2008) are comparable to those reported in the literature relating to Turkey and Morocco (Hirsch 1979;Bowden et al 2008). The feeding areas used by ibises at their breeding grounds are heavily degraded in line with the general ecological degradation of the Syrian desert (Serra et al 2008).…”

“…Human disturbance was recorded as having negative effects on the Northern Bald Ibises breeding both in Turkey and in Morocco (Hirsch 1976;Collar and Stuart 1985;Bowden and Smith 1997;Bowden et al 2008), along with raven depredation (Bowden et al 2003(Bowden et al , 2008. A marked sensitivity to human disturbance at breeding sites versus at roosting sites outside the breeding season was described by Bowden and Smith (1997).…”

“…Gesner (1555) recorded breeding of Northern Bald Ibises on the ''rocky walls'' of the Danube valley at Kelheim and Passau, while Schenker (1977) reported historical records of ibises nesting on the castle rocks of Salzburg. The breeding cycle, breeding performance and behaviour of Birecik's colony until 1989 and of Moroccan colonies over several years have been described in detail (Hirsch 1979;Bowden and Smith 1997;Bowden et al 2003Bowden et al , 2008Akçakaya 1990).…”

New Breeding Sites of the Critically Endangered Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus Eremita on the Moroccan Atlantic Coast

“…The doubling of the number of nesting pairs that laid eggs, from 77 pairs (1996) [14] to 111 pairs (2016) [15], should be followed by an expansion of the breeding sites at the northern edges of the known breeding range in southwest Morocco. The lack of suitable nesting sites between Tamri and Cap Ghir, 37 km northwest to Agadir, may explain the trend of northward expansion.…”

“…The species remains very vulnerable to any one-off disasters due to the social behaviour complexity of the species, which breeds colonially and usually feeds in groups, and to the reduced population size [14]. The SMNP has been created in 1991 to protect these remnant ibis colonies.…”