Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleJapan's Crown Prince Akishino, second right, Crown Princess Kiko, right, and other officials watch a crested Ibis marked with painted wings released into wild during an event in Hakui, Japan, Sunday, May 31, 2026. (Japan Pool/Kyodo News via AP) (AP)Eight endangered crested ibises, known as Toki, have been released into the wild in Hakui city, Noto region, Japan, marking a significant reintroduction decades after the species was declared extinct in the country. The release, which took place on Sunday, was attended by Crown Prince Akishino and his wife Kiko, who participated in a ceremony to allow the birds to take flight, generating widespread enthusiasm among residents. These ibises are the result of a successful captive-breeding programme at a conservation centre on Sado Island, with ten more birds reportedly awaiting release to further bolster the wild population. The species, native to East Asia and admired for its distinctive orange-pink wings and red eye markings, vanished from Japan's Honshu main island in the 1970s due to overhunting and environmental degradation, with the last native Japanese ibis dying in 2003. China played a crucial role in the birds' comeback, donating a pair in 1999 that led to the first captive-born chick, and the current population on Sado Island has grown to approximately 500 since releases began in 2008, with this latest release also serving as a symbol of hope for the earthquake-stricken Noto region. In fullEndangered crested ibises return to Japanese wild decades after extinctionThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

Hakui, Ishikawa Pref., May 31 (Jiji Press)--Crested ibises, a Japanese natural monument, were released into the wild in the city of Hakui, Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan,…

Eight crested ibises have been released into the wild in a north-central Japanese town, decades after going extinct in the country.

Eight crested ibises have been released into the wild in a north-central Japanese town, decades since the birds went extinct in the country

Otto ibis crestati sono stati rilasciati in natura in una città del Giappone centro-settentrionale, decenni dopo che gli uccelli si erano estinti nel paese. I volatili sono…

Known as Toki in Japan, the distinctive birds feature striking orange-pink hues beneath their wings and bright red markings around their eyes

Eight crested ibises were successfully released in Japan, reviving a species extinct for decades and boosting local optimism.

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or…

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