🦅 Rare crested ibises released into the wild in Japan

In the Japanese city of Hakui, eight rare crested ibises, a species considered extinct in the wild for decades, were released into their natural habitat. Remarkably, this very region was the last place where these birds had been spotted in the wild in the past.

The birds were bred on a scientific basis at a specialized nature conservation center on Sado Island. Local authorities state that the biodiversity restoration program will continue, with plans to release dozens more individuals into the wild in the near future.

According to ecologists, due to uncontrolled hunting and habitat destruction, crested ibises completely disappeared from Honshu Island back in the 1970s, and the last representative of the local population died in 2003. The revival of this rare species was made possible through international cooperation and support from China. Today, the crested ibis population in Japan has reached approximately 500 individuals.