Overview

• The ibis was probing for insects on an Austrian golf course when it was struck by a ball during takeoff in mid-July.
• The species, once near extinction in Europe, has been reintroduced in colonies across Spain and recently adapted to forage on artificial greens in Austria.
• Facility manager Sabrina Freitag said the golfer involved expressed deep remorse following the July incident.
• A biologist with the Waldrappteam Conservation and Research labeled the event an unavoidable accident and affirmed no party was at fault.
• Conservationists warn that golf courses and similar man-made oases in arid regions create important feeding sites but also elevate collision risks for reintroduced wildlife.