A review of the nature documentary "Flight of the Bald Ibis"
The Konrad Lorentz research station at Grünau im Almtal in Austria doesn't just keep geese (some of whom knew the Nobel Prize winner personally). They also breed ibises, Northern Bald Ibises to be exact (not to be confused with the Sacred Ibis of Hermetic fame). Today, the Northern Bald Ibis is a very rare bird, only found at two locations in Morocco and Syria, respectively.
Until about 350 years ago, this unholy avian also lived in Europe. It was hunted to extinction by sybaritic aristocrats who considered its meat a great delicacy. The goal of the research station in Almtal is to reintroduce the Bald Ibis to Europe.
Unfortunately, the stupid birds – who are supposed to migrate southwards to Africa – instead fly off north, some of them ending up in Russia! To teach the ibises the correct flight route, the scientists at the research station hire small airplanes, trying to herd the birds in the right direction…
OK. Is this somebody's idea of a bad April Fool's joke, or what?
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