Endangered species is regular visitor to Camp Darby

By Chiara MattiroloJanuary 20, 2023

Working on a military post that shares space with the San Rossore Regional Park, offers opportunities to see wildlife up close, thanks to a bird named Jazu that considers Camp Darby one of his safe places.

Jazu is one of three juvenile Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita) raised by a breeding pair at the Castle Burghausen, in Germany in 2011. The species is listed as endangered.

It's not uncommon to see him strolling undisturbed through the post’s fields searching with his long beak for insects to eat. Here Jazu knows he's not in danger, people respect him and watch him curiously, and he doesn't seem bothered at all.

(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Beatrice Silicani, a housing manager assistant at the local Directorate of Public Works, Housing Office, is a great lover of nature and the outdoors, also noticed Jazu and decided to do some research on the bird.

“I have been reading about Jazu, and found out how it happened that he is often seen on post,” Silicani said. “In the fall of 2011 Jazu followed another Northern bald Ibis to the wintering area located at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Oasis in southern Tuscany, from there on July 6, 2012, he left Tuscany, crossed the Alps and reached Burghausen on August 8.”

Jazu is a great teacher, as Silicani explained that thanks to this migratory flight, Jazu learned the route and thus started a migratory cycle without human help and teaching new generations to migrate and accompany them to areas of interest. Meanwhile migrating from southern Tuscany to Bavaria.

Jazu seems to be fond of this area and is often seen around the Installation. He, or another Northern Bald Ibis, has been spotted on Camp Darby for about 10 years.

Because they are listed as endangered, all Northern bald Ibis in the world are protected species and provided with rings with integrated GPS so as to study their migratory routes, their behavior and to inform local authorities and hunting associations about their presence in particularly dangerous areas due to poaching.

The Northern Bald Ibis differs from other ibis in having a bare head with only a tuft of feathers starting at the nape of the neck.

Silicani who also has a degree in veterinary medicine follows Jazu thru an animal tracking app, discovered that he has traveled

over 1812 km though 3 countries.