Eight crested ibises have returned to the wild in a north-central Japanese town, years after they were considered extinct in the country. The release occurred during a ceremony in Hakui city, located in the Noto region, where the birds last roamed free. The event was marked by cheers as Crown Prince Akishino, accompanied by his wife Kiko and other dignitaries, performed a ribbon-cutting around the cages, signaling the birds’ freedom.
These ibises were nurtured at a conservation facility on Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture. This move follows a fruitful captive-breeding initiative, with another ten birds expected to be released soon. Known as Toki in Japan, these birds are natives of East Asia. They are prized for their vibrant orange-pink underwing hues and bright red eye markings.
The species faced extinction on Honshu, Japan’s main island, during the 1970s due to excessive hunting and habitat damage. The last native ibis died in 2003 on Sado Island. However, the species made a comeback thanks to contributions from China, which provided a breeding pair that enabled the birth of the first Japanese crested ibis chick in captivity in 1999.
Conservation and breeding efforts have since revitalized the ibis population. In 2008, ten birds from the Sado conservation center were released on the island, with their numbers now climbing to approximately 500, according to the Environment Ministry.
The release ceremony also served as a positive sign for the Noto region, still overcoming the impacts of a deadly earthquake in 2024.