Bioparc Valencia receives new members of a species with Egyptian history. A unique opportunity to see the group of Sacred Ibis raising and feeding their chicks.

In the past week 4 specimens of Sacred Ibis were born in Bioparc Valencia. It is a bird that is probably one of the most elegant animals in its group.

They have a very stylized body, with a long neck and beak, the latter curved. They are diurnal and gregarious birds, associating with other birds, such as marabouts, herons and storks. They usually have 2 to 5 eggs and the incubation period is 21 days. It is possible that more chicks will hatch soon in the park, as there are still some eggs to hatch.

Bioparc Valencia offers a unique opportunity to closely observe the breeding and growth of these birds, since the nests are located in an area perfectly visible to visitors. From the terrace of Bioparc's main Restaurant you can now enjoy a scene as natural as watching the adult Ibis feed and care for the small chicks.

It feeds on frogs, fish, crustaceans, mollusks, insects, lizards, snakes and a large number of small rodents. Its geographical distribution extends from southwestern Mauritania, Senegal and eastern Gambia to Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. We can also find them in South Africa and southeastern Iraq. The habitat of this species of bird is usually the margins of continental water masses.

This species has a enormous importance in the Egypt of the pharaohs and hence its name. In ancient times it was considered a sacred animal, since its appearance coincided with the great floods of the Nile. It is represented in numerous murals and hieroglyphics, being the symbol of king Thoth, and mummified specimens abound in the burial places; In a certain group of tombs, more than one and a half million Ibis were found.

This species is now extinct in Egypt. but, despite this, this bird is thriving in other countries. It has been introduced accidentally in some countries of the Mediterranean basin such as Spain and the south of France.