The name Waldrappteam Conservation and Research is based on the history of the company. In 2001, a team of researchers led by Johannes Fritz began flying with Northern Bald Ibises (German: Waldrapp) – hence the name Waldrappteam. Inspired by the story of Bill Lishman and the Hollywood film ‘Fly away home’, the team tested whether hand-raised juvenile Northern Bald Ibises could be trained to follow their foster parents, who co-pilot in ultralight aircraft, so that the birds could later be guided to their wintering areas.

Johannes Fritz

Barbara steininger
Barbara completed her bachelor’s degree in biology with a focus on zoology at the University of Vienna. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in wildlife ecology and wildlife management at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences. As part of her studies, she has already raised greylag goose goslings at the Konrad Lorenz Research Station in Grünau im Almtal. In 2023 and 2024, Barbara acted as a foster mother, preparing young northern bald ibises for release into the wild. Since 2025, she has been working as project assistant.

Helena Wehner

Lisa-Maria Weber
Lisa-Maria completed her bachelor’s degree in biology at the University of Innsbruck, where she also intends to complete a master’s degree in zoology. Before taking part in the project, she was involved in nature conservation with Team Karwendel alongside her studies. She got to know and love working with birds at a sanctuary in the Ecuadorian Amazon, where she also guided visitors through the sanctuary as a tour guide. On migration, she particularly misses her chickens, which she raised from an early age. Lisa-Maria is responsible for managing the camp as part of the human-led migration.

Elisa Perinot

Markus Unsöld

Bernhard Völkl

Walter Holzmüller

Lisbet Siebert-Lang
Project assistant
Lisbet has been an employee of the company since 2022 and supports the management in various tasks that arise on a daily basis. She is also an employee of Zoo Vienna and entrusted with assistance tasks within the framework of the ongoing LIFE-project. Her main areas of work are creating and maintaining the website, managing data and supporting public relations. Lisbet studied biology at the University of Leipzig and after graduating worked for as manager for environmental education and species conservation at the Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich, Germany.