Eight crested ibises are released into the wild in a north-central Japanese town, marking a long-awaited conservation effort after the species went extinct in Japan decades ago. Reporting from multiple outlets says the birds are being reintroduced after being kept through a captive-breeding programme and are now expected to be monitored following their release.
The articles also describe the origin of the reintroduced birds: they have been raised at a conservation centre on Sado Island. One report adds that the reintroduced ibises were last seen on Japan’s main island of Honshu in the 1970s. Another outlet notes that the release follows years of preparation and that additional birds are in the pipeline.
In addition to the release details, coverage mentions that Crown Prince Akishino and his wife Kiko took part in releasing the eight birds into the wild. One source states that ten more crested ibises are waiting to be released, indicating the programme could continue beyond this first reintroduction event. All accounts describe the action as a milestone for restoring the species to its former range in Japan.
