The number of Northern bald ibis breeding pairs increased from 75 in 1981 to 147 in 2018, with reintroduction efforts bringing the species back to parts of its former range, including the Alps.
Notes on verification
The 2018 figure of 147 breeding pairs is well corroborated by multiple independent sources (Oryx journal, MaghrebOrnitho, BirdLife). The 1981 baseline of 75 pairs is consistent with historical trends but not precisely verified independently. Alpine reintroduction claim is confirmed via Waldrappteam project documentation. [tier=unverified indep_score=0.3 clusters=4 claim_tier=notable] [rescored 2026-09-15: curated origin-host map (PR #65); unclassified hosts no longer scored as aggregators]
Sources
- Learn how species that faced extinction are bouncing back (seed:environment_and_wildlife)
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/oryx/article/northern-bald-ibis-geronticus-eremita-history-current-status-and-future-perspectives/570EE0C496F173CE86B34429B8675583 (corroboration)
- https://magornitho.org/2020/02/northern-bald-ibis-morocco-since-1900/ (corroboration)
- https://www.waldrapp.eu/history/ (corroboration)
- https://www.birdlife.org/news/2019/05/29/northern-bald-ibis-baldly-leading-the-way-in-ibis-conservation/ (corroboration)