Are Scientific name already gives us a song Gerontic hermit. It comes from the Greek “Geron”, which means an old man and “eremitic”, derived from Latin, which gives rise to the word Hermit. These words tell us that ibis Eremita, with his bald head and full of wrinkles, looks like an old man and that his threshing habits in rocky cuts, looks like an old hermit.
Of It is about a species that has suffered a great deterioration, Disappearing throughout Europe and reducing its presence to just a colony. The progressive decrease in populations has already been produced in the Middle Ages, where it lived in countries such as Austria, Germany, Italy and Spain, which offer historical or paleontological references of his presence.
The ibis eremita
The Minister of Sustainability and Environment of the Junta de Andalucía, Catalina García, participated in the III International Symposium on the Ibis Eremita, which was held from 11 to 14 March in Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz. There, the counselor appreciated the progress that has been made within the framework of the ‘Eremita Project’ allowed to consolidate a population close to the “stability” of this species in the Janda regionWith more than 300 copies and 39 reproductive couples.
Catalina García emphasized that this milestone Andalusia is making an international reference in restoring the ibis Hermit (Gerontic Eremitic), A species that had disappeared from Europe, catalogs worldwide as ‘In danger’, and now has a viable population in the autonomous community.
“The success of the ‘Eremita project’ is the result of more than 20 years of rigorous work, in which the Zoobotanic de Jerez and the Collaboration of scientific entities and conservationists. Thanks to this effort, today, Andalusia, in addition to housing a stable colony, will advise our experts on reintroduction programs in Catalonia and Morocco, “he said.
During her help with the symposium, the counselor signed three important similarities. The first of these is an agreement signed between the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and Pierre Gay, owner of the Estate estate Eremitas in San Ambrosio, Barbate, that one Collaboration frame for the preservation of the ibis Eremita in Andalusia.
The farm, with an acclimatization volume, a nesting tower and food areas, is consolidated as a space Key to the reintroduction and monitoring of the species. According to the agreement, the Junta de Andalucía can use these facilities for the liberation and population control of the ibis Eremita, which guarantees stability in the natural environment of the La Janda region.
The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment has also signed an agreement with ‘Waldrappteam Conservation & Research ‘, Dirigido Por Johannes Fritz, To strengthen the cooperation between the ‘Eremita Project’ and the European Program ‘Life Northern Bald Ibis’.
The agreement includes creating a management team in Spain, the exchange of scientific information and coordination in monitoring migration monsters. Moreover, the mutual support mechanisms set for bird surveillance, Preventing threats such as poaching and illegal yacht And the spread of the results, the strengthening of the leadership of Andalusia in the preservation of the species internationally.
Finally, the Junta de Andalucía and the Generalitat of Catalonia have formalized an agreement Share knowledge and strategies in the preservation of the ibis Eremita. Thanks to the collected experience for 20 years in Andalusia, the ‘Eremita Project’ will advise Catalonia on the reintroduction of the species in the Ampurdán, which offer technical assistance with acclimatization, release and monitoring of specimens.
The agreement also establishes the Creation of joint working groups and the distribution of information On both initiatives, consolidating an interregional cooperation framework for the restoration of the ibis Eremita on the Iberian Peninsula.
Catalina García emphasized the importance of these similarities Consolidate the role of Andalusia as a reference in the recovery of the ibis Eremita. “Collaboration with private owners, scientific entities and other administrations enables us to expand the scope of our actions and to strengthen the protection of this emblematic species.”
The counselor emphasized that Andalusian conservation leadership is a replicable success model in other regions, as will happen in Catalonia, that are already on Own reintroduction plan based on the experience of the Eremita project. “These similarities enable us to continue in the protection of our biodiversity with a global and coordinated vision.”
III International Symposium on the ibis Eremita
The III international symposium on the Ibis Eremita has collected specialists from all over the world to share experiences about the preservation of this endangered species. They participated in the meeting Researchers from Morocco, Austria, Germany and Italy, as well as responsible for European reintroduction programs. The counselor emphasized the importance of this event as an important space for the exchange of knowledge and cooperation in nature conservation strategies.
The ‘Eremita project’ started in 2004 with the Objective of re -introducing the ibis Eremita in Andalusia and creating a self -sufficient population. During their early stages, controlled separately from copies were born in captivity performed in the Zoobotanic of Jerez and other European zoos. In 2008 the first reproduction was produced in freedom and in 2013 the reintroduction program in South Spain was officially approved.
Currently, the population of ibis Eremita in Andalusia has settled with 39 reproductive couples and more than 300 copies. Catalina García said this result “A demonstration is that, with rigorous planning, Continuous monitoring and institutional dedicationThe reintroduction of endangered species can be a reality. What he added: “The current population of ibis Eremita does not place very close to the purpose of achieving a stable population of 350 individuals.
The success of this initiative has promoted new partnerships with the life-north bare European project Ibis, That works in creating an immigration route between Central Europe and Andalusia. Just the Last October 2, 2024, the last transfer of Germany was completed. In this expedition, a total of 36 copies arrived in Andalusia, together with their carers, after a trip of 2,800 kilometers to the aviary of San Ambrosio de Barbate.
A big step in preserving the ibis Eremita
And the consolidation of a viable population of ibis Eremita in Andalusia has provided the restoration of this species in Andalusia and has also generated a replicable success model in other areas of Europe and North Africa. Thanks joint work with the life-north bare IBIS projectSignificant progress has been obtained in the recovery of migration corridors to connect spread populations of this bird, which makes safe movement between different countries facilitate.
In that sense, the Counselor remembered that the cooperation with the LIFE program was of fundamental importance to take in some of the most important challenges that the species is confronted with, such as electrocution -mortality in electric lines or illegal hunting in certain regions. “NASTY By using GPS technology and the identification of safe routes, the impact of these threats has been considerably reduced And improve the survival percentage of the released samples, “he added.
Catalina García emphasized that international cooperation in this process has been the key. “Andalusia’s experience in the recovery of the ibis Eremita has enabled us Work in addition to European and Moroccan experts to share knowledge and to develop joint strategies. This coordinated work will enable us to strengthen the wild population in the Mediterranean and to guarantee their long -term stability, “he said.
In Jerez, Catalina García announced that the Junta de Andalucía will start with a new phase of consolidation of the ‘Eremita Project’, aimed at the order of the wild population, The reduction of threats such as electrocution in electric lines and the analysis of new reintroduction areas. “The path that the path has traveled has been a success, but we still have a lot to do. Our priority is to freely guarantee the stability of the population and to continue to contribute to the preservation of this species at an international level, “he said.
Likewise, the Junta de Andalucía will work on the requirement of the species in the Andalusian catalog of endangered species, with the aim Adjust his status to the evolution of his population and consolidation long -term conservation actions.
As part of the symposium program, those present have visited one of the most important reproductive colonies in the Vejer boat, where they can closely perceive the result of two decades of work in favor of biodiversity. There they have first hand the Actions implemented to improve the reproductive success of the speciesSuch as the installation of nest platforms and the strengthening of surveillance to minimize possible threats.