Back from the Dead: Extinct-in-the-Wild Bird Soars Again in Morocco

A bird once hunted to extinction across Europe and the Middle East is making a remarkable comeback. Conservationists in Morocco have revived the northern bald ibis through a dedicated breeding and rewilding program. The species had vanished from the wild by the 17th century. It survived only in a tiny, semi-wild colony in Morocco. A specialized zoo in Rabat began a captive breeding effort. Scientists carefully raised chicks and prepared them for life in nature. This process, called rewilding, involved teaching the birds to forage and migrate. The program is now a major success. Dozens of birds have been successfully released into protected coastal areas in Morocco. The population is steadily growing. The northern bald ibis is still critically endangered. However, its recovery in Morocco offers a powerful model for saving other species on the brink of disappearance.