Bringing Back the Birds: Conservation Program Returns Crested Ibis to Skies over Sado

Excerpt from nippon.com

Turning Back the Clock

Floating in the Sea of Japan, the island of Sado in Niigata Prefecture is the only place in Japan where crested ibises live in the wild. Designated a special natural monument, the birds, known as toki in Japanese, tragically died out in Japan several decades ago. However, dedicated conservation work has returned the crested ibis to Sado’s picturesque forests and fields.

The majestic crested ibis was once abundant across East Asia. But starting in the nineteenth century, demand for the bird’s feathers as ornamental objects led to overhunting, which along with habitat loss caused populations to plummet. By the twentieth century, the species had been pushed to the brink of extinction.

In Japan, the last native crested ibis died in 2003. Over the subsequent 14 years, ornithologists and other experts tirelessly worked to reintroduce the species on Sado using breeding stock from China. Today, there are some 480 birds living wild on the island. Habitat restoration has been central to the success of the program and has benefited greatly from the cooperation of the agricultural industry. Previously the bane of the crested ibis, farmers have adopted conservation measures like reducing their reliance on agricultural chemicals and opening fields for use as feeding grounds for birds. Experts are now looking to apply what has been dubbed the “Sado model” to other parts of Japan in hopes of reintroducing the crested ibis on the mainland.