Crested ibises released in Gansu to boost endangered bird's wild population

Twenty crested ibises were released into the wild in Xiaolong Mountain, Tianshui city, Gansu province, on Sunday. This marks a new stage in the province's efforts to restore wild populations of the endangered bird, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

These crested ibises underwent strict rewilding training and health checks before being fitted with identification tags and released. The move is expected to help the species return to its historical distribution areas, expand its survival space in the wild, and improve the regional conservation network, the administration stated in a media release.

In 1981, only seven wild individuals of the bird were discovered in Yangxian county, Shaanxi province, believed to be the last of their kind. Thanks to over four decades of dedicated conservation, the global population of the crested ibis has now surpassed 10,000, with most residing in Yangxian.

The administration noted that China has carried out crested ibis rewilding and reintroduction programs in recent years, establishing captive-bred and wild populations in 15 provincial regions. Last year, the administration issued a 2022-35 action plan that calls for comprehensive rewilding and the restoration of natural populations in different geographical areas, aiming to return the species to its historical range.

The administration emphasized the Sunday release as a concrete step toward restoring crested ibis populations in their former habitats, providing experience for exploring population recovery in the western Qinling Mountains and northwestern China.

The release is expected to support further research into habitat adaptation, population monitoring, and conservation management, while contributing to the broader recovery of the species across China, according to the administration.

Historically, Xiaolong Mountain was home to crested ibises. In 2023, Gansu launched a crested ibis reintroduction project, introducing breeding stock from the Hanzhong Crested Ibis National Nature Reserve in neighboring Shaanxi province. A breeding base was subsequently established at Longmen forest farm in Xiaolong Mountain, where artificial breeding and rewilding training were conducted.

Through sustained protection and careful management, the population of crested ibises has grown from 20 introduced in 2023 to 50 in the forest farm, according to the Xiaolongshan Forestry Protection Center, which oversees the farm.

Wu Yuexuan contributed to the story.