A female bald ibis (Geronticus eremita), a bird that became extinct in Europe in the 18th century, was seen in the area of the Neretva river valley.
A female named Gipsy reached Slano via Brac and Hvar, from where she continued her journey towards the valley of the Neretva River where she is currently located.
The appearance of the bald ibis in Croatia was recorded thanks to the LIFE Northern Bald Ibis project, within which the reintroduction of individuals from captivity in Germany and Austria is carried out.
All individuals are equipped with GPS devices that monitor their flight, and the data can be tracked via the Animal Tracker application, in which photos and information about their observations can be entered, announced the Public Institution for the Management of Protected Areas of Nature of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County.
Namely, the bald ibis is a migratory bird that resides in semi-desert or rocky areas, often near watercourses.
It was also worshiped by the ancient Egyptians, and today there are only about 200 individuals living in North Africa and the Middle East.
When hatched, the bald ibis has feathers on its head. But when he grows up, his feathers fall off and his head remains bare, which is why he got the name bald ibis.
The rest of its body is covered with black feathers that have a red-green and purple glow in the sun.
The bald ibis has a red beak and red skin all over its body, except for the very top of its head. There are long feathers on the back of the neck.
Under normal circumstances, it lives between 25 and 30 years. It feeds on insects, lizards and even small mammals.
In Europe, this species became extinct in the 18th century, and in Croatia, the last individuals nested in Istria.
The Public Institution for the Management of Protected Areas of Nature pointed out that this bird species is not timid and can be approached. Therefore, they asked those who notice the bird not to disturb it.
E.Dz.
