African Sacred Ibis
There are two African Sacred Ibis in the lake at Lago di Alviano. Here’s one:
![Sacred Ibis - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photography (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Lago-di-Alviano-The-Hall-of-Einar-2502.jpg)
Their scientific name, Threskiornis aethiopicus, gives another clue to their origins: Ethiopia.
![Sacred Ibis - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photography (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Lago-di-Alviano-The-Hall-of-Einar-2503-725x725.jpg)
What are they doing in Italy?
![Sacred Ibis - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photography (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Lago-di-Alviano-The-Hall-of-Einar-2423-725x483.jpg)
It’s another case of people interfering. They are an introduced species, escaped from zoological collections.
People have been obsessed by Sacred Ibis for thousands of years. Here’s a papyrus from 1275 BC showing Anubis, the Jackal-headed god and Thoth, the Ibis-headed scribe of the gods.
![](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/El_pesado_del_corazón_en_el_Papiro_de_Hunefer-725x456.jpg)
It’s a brilliantly accurate depiction of the Ibis. I’m not sure about the weighing of hearts against feathers, though..
Over 3,000 year later, I’m here worshipping Ibis too.
![Sacred Ibis - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photography (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Lago-di-Alviano-The-Hall-of-Einar-2565-725x408.jpg)