Otto is the responseble for the nature of the Wadden Sea area in the north of Holland. Also he is member of the Natuurmonumenten ONG and of the International Group of Spatulas. In recent years, he has done an incredible job in the conservation of biodiversity, particularly with the spoobills.

Otto is one of the best specialists in Europe at the spoonbills. For this reason, the team of Pakea Bizkaia found it very interesting to know the work done to recover this species.

Spoonbill gets its name from the shape of the peak, because in the end has a spoon-shaped. With this Peak  they can get the food by the water easily.

30-40 years ago because of the chemicals by farmers in the Netherlands, the water was polluted, causing many disappeares of the spoonbills. Thanks to the work of Otto and other person, has managed to recover the species, even to multiply by 20 the number of individuals who had 30 years ago. Then, created the International Group of spoonbills.

To follow up this bird, they use a universal system, putting rings on the legs, in which they write an identification code. Thus, if one of the spoonbill is found in some other country, its history will be filled and will be easier to protect. Since 1982 there have been ringed 6500 Spoonbills.

The spoonbills start to migrate with two months, traveling up to 2020 kms in 8 days to get to warmer lands in wich they stay 4 years. When they reach adulthood, they migrate back north, specifically in Holland, where they have their babies and in September, flying to south again.

One of the main reasons for unnatural death of this bird are power lines, as well as hunting. It is therefore important that all countries make great efforts to get the spoonbills and other species can recover, because once they lost they can´t be recovered again.