Each year, a team of scientists and volunteers dedicates their lives to reintroducing northern bald ibis birds to the wild in Europe. These funny-looking, nearly extinct creatures are hand-raised by foster mothers and taught to follow a microlight aircraft, all part of a project led by Johannes Fritz. The project is not only quixotic, but also crucial for the survival of this once-thriving species. Fritz’s inspiration came from the movie “Fly Away Home,” where a father and daughter lead a migration of geese using a microlight. Through Fritz’s dedication and ingenuity, migratory habits are instilled in these birds once again, against all odds.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/02/17/the-long-flight-to-teach-an-endangered-ibis-species-to-migrate