Wild Northern bald ibis breeding pairs in Morocco fell to 59 in 1997 and rose to 147 in 2018, and reintroductions have returned the species 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.
Sources
- Learn how species that faced extinction are bouncing back (nationalgeographic.com)
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/oryx/article/northern-bald-ibis-geronticus-eremita-history-current-status-and-future-perspectives/570EE0C496F173CE86B34429B8675583 (cambridge.org)
- https://magornitho.org/2020/02/northern-bald-ibis-morocco-since-1900/ (magornitho.org)
- https://www.waldrapp.eu/history/ (waldrapp.eu)
- https://www.birdlife.org/news/2019/05/29/northern-bald-ibis-baldly-leading-the-way-in-ibis-conservation/ (birdlife.org)