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Swift hunter
"The yellow-billed stork hunts very successfully. By waiting silently above the water, it can strike quickly when prey comes within range."
Discover in real lifeHabitat:
wetlands in Africa, south of the Sahara
Diet:
frogs, small mammals, aquatic animals, crustaceans, worms and insects
Lifespan:
15-20 years
Weight:
2 to 3 kg
Number of eggs:
2 to 4 eggs
Incubation period:
30 days
To be seen:
along the walking safari
IUCN status:
Least Concern
EEP:
Yes
About the Yellow-billed stork
The Yellow-billed stork (Mycteria ibis) is a large stork found in the wetlans of sub-Saharan Africa. Thanks to its unique hunting technique, it is a highly successful hunter. With its beak open just above the water, it waits patiently until prey comes within reach, after which it strikes with lightning speed. The Yellow-billed stork feeds on frogs, small mammals, aquatic animals, crustaceans, worms and insects, amongst other things.
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Habitat and threats
The Yellow-billed stork inhabits wet areas in sub-Saharan Africa, such as marshes, riverbanks and flooded grasslands. In these water-rich habitats, this large stork searches for fish, frogs and other small aquatic animals.
The species currently has an IUCN status of ‘Least Concern’. Although the Yellow-billed stork is still found across large parts of Africa, the loss of wetlands, drought and changes to the landscape can have a local impact on suitable habitats. At present, however, there are no major threats that endanger the species’ survival globally.
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Species conservation in Beekse Bergen
Fortunately, the IUCN status of the Yellow-billed stork is “least concern”, but did you know that more than 10,000 animal species are threatened with extinction? Beekse Bergen works together with approximately 325 European zoos to preserve these species. We form the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). Through management programmes (EEPs), we ensure healthy reserve populations.
The Yellow-billed stork at Beekse Bergen are also part of an EEP. A coordinator keeps a studbook of the species and manages the population in zoos. Together with a committee, the coordinator advises on which animals are allowed to breed together. Sometimes this means that a Yellow-billed stork is moved to another zoo. In this way, we increase the chance of healthy offspring and the survival of the species. You can recognize animal species with an EEP by the logo of a rhino with a calf.