Threats to the Reintroduction Program of the Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita) in Italy: A Forensic Investigation

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The Northern Bald Ibis is one of the world’s rarest birds, and it was reintroduced in Europe. Its survival is strongly threatened by illegal hunting in Italy. This study used a forensic approach to analyze all of the cadavers found in Italy between 2016 and 2022, which were suspected to have been victims of illegal hunting. In our study, illegal hunting was the major cause of death in this species, mainly during the hunting season. Natural causes of death accounted for the minor part, confirming the importance of approaching these cases with a forensic method. Forensic veterinary medicine is a science that tries to reach not only to obtain a diagnosis but also evidence (when, where, how, and (hopefully) who) and it must be used, together with other forensic sciences, to stop poaching, which is a serious problem that is leading many species to extinction. ABSTRACT: The Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita is an endangered species, and recently it was reintroduced in Europe by the Waldrappteam. The reintroduction program has been strongly threatened by several sudden deaths, mainly in Italy. The present study used a forensic approach to analyze all of the 27 Northern Bald Ibises found dead in Italy between 2016 and 2022, which were suspected to have been victims of poaching, and it followed the veterinary forensic guidelines. Human-related causes accounted for 60% of the deaths, including illegal hunting (30%), blunt force trauma (26%), and electrocution (4%). Natural causes, starvation (15%), predation (11%) and disease (7%), accounted for 33% of the deaths. 7% of the causes of deaths remained undetermined. This study uses a forensic approach to analyze, for the first time, the main causes of death in Geronticus eremita and highlights the relevance of detecting illegal actions related to endangered species and stopping the phenomenon of poaching.