Crested Ibis Are Back!

For the first time in 56 years, crested ibises are on the main island in Japan, after recently being released into the wild. Eight birds were released in Hakui, Ishikawa Prefecture, after years of breeding and conservation efforts on Sado Island, according to the Environment Ministry. The population of crested ibises on Sado Island in the sea of Japan, off Niigata Prefecture, has increased to about 500, since the first release there in 2008.

These birds are national treasures in Japan. Due to over hunting and other factors, the last one on the main island of Honshu was captured in 1970. Japan’s native ibises went extinct in 2003, but breeding efforts using birds donated by China have helped the reintroduction of the species into the wild.

The local prefectural government considers this release as a symbol of the area's revival after the deadly earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula on New Year’s Day 2024.