8 crested ibises released in Japanese town decades after extinction in Japan

Source: AP

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Updated 3:29 AM CDT, June 1, 2026

TOKYO (AP) — Eight crested ibises were released into the wild in a north-central Japanese town, decades after the birds went extinct in the country.

The endangered birds took off from each of their wooden cages at a ceremony Sunday in Hakui city in the Noto region, where they were last seen in the wild.

Residents cheered when the birds soared into the sky the moment Crown Prince Akishino, his wife Kiko and other officials cut a ribbon around the cages.

The eight birds have been raised at a conservation center on Sado Island in the neighboring prefecture of Niigata following a successful captive-breeding program. Ten more birds are waiting to be released.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/japan-crested-ibis-release-b45a911d3a735ca280686ce3c04f5bd4