Japan has returned 16 locally born crested ibises to China on Thursday, fulfilling an agreement between the two nations to bolster conservation efforts aimed at reducing the species' extinction risk. This marks the first transfer of these internationally protected birds in eight years, with the ibises now residing at Beijing Zoo.
According to Japan's Environment Ministry, the 16 birds—comprising nine females and seven males—were born at a conservation center on Sado Island in Niigata prefecture between 2016 and 2022.
Japan's native crested ibises became extinct in the wild in 2003. Since 1999, the country has relied on birds donated by China for an artificial breeding program, with an agreement to return half of the chicks born to China as part of the conservation efforts.
Starting in 2008, Japan has been releasing ibises on Sado Island to reintroduce them into their natural habitat. As of late 2023, the Japan Environment Ministry reported that approximately 532 crested ibises are estimated to be living in the wild, while around 160 remain in facilities across Japan, according to Kyodo News.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
