Bring Back Israel's Diving Ducks

Following on this year’s successful release of 32 Diving Ducks into the wild in Israel, our Avian Team at the Zoo is now in the midst of grooming 26 more hatchlings who have reached maturity to be released into the wild:

• The Israel Nature and Parks Authority has granted formal permission for us to release individuals in the Gibeton Nature Reserve near Rehovot and so 13 ducks will be released there over the coming months. Stay tuned for an update on this release.
• 13 Diving Ducks will also be released into the Hula Valley Nature Reserve – a swathe of wetlands in the north of Israel that serves as a haven for millions of migrating birds every year. We have received favorable reports of the ducks already released in this area from Israel Nature and Parks Authority rangers and so we are very optimistic about the second release.

The remaining breeding core reside in our Marsh Aviary Exhibit and we are hopeful that they will continue to produce more adorable ducklings so that we can continue to bring these beautiful and important birds back to Israel’s aquatic habitats.

Did you know that our Diving Ducks are tagged using a special method developed in Europe? The tags are attached to the bills rather than to the feet to enable monitoring of individuals from afar because otherwise the ducks’ legs are not visible while swimming in the water. This tagging method does not hurt the duck nor does it interfere with feeding, breathing or any other bodily function.

Thank you all so much for being a part of this project’s success. We hope to bring you more good news in our next report.

Warm Regards,

Nicole and the Team at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo

Links:

• Zoo Video Diary segment about the Hula Valley Release
• Zoo Print Newsletter (English Article on page 2)
• World Association of Zoos and Aquariums Project Summary