In a symbolic ceremony held in north-central Japan, eight crested ibises were released into the wild – marking the species’ return to a region where it vanished decades ago.
The endangered birds took flight from individual wooden cages on Sunday in Hakui City, located in the Noto region, which was once their last known habitat in the wild, according to AP.
As Crown Prince Akishino, his wife Kiko, and other officials cut a ribbon around the cages, the ibises soared into the sky, drawing cheers from locals.
The eight birds were raised at a conservation center on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture, following a successful captive-breeding program. Ten more ibises are waiting to be released.
Known as toki in Japanese, these white birds are native to East Asia and are admired for the orange-pink hues beneath their wings and the bright red markings around their eyes.
The species disappeared from Japan’s main island of Honshu in the 1970s due to overhunting and environmental decline. The last native Japanese ibis died on Sado Island in 2003.
However, the birds were given a second chance thanks to China’s support for breeding. In 1999, a pair donated by China successfully produced Japan’s first captive-born crested Ibis chick, the Environment Ministry reported.
Since then, ongoing breeding and conservation efforts have helped revive the population. In 2008, ten ibises raised at the Sado center were released on the island, and their numbers have since grown to around 500.
Sunday’s release also carried special meaning for the Noto region, which is still recovering from a deadly earthquake in 2024 – making the birds’ return a hopeful omen for the area.
