A Bird Declared Extinct in the Wild Is Getting a Second Chance as 8 Are Released in Japan
Wildlife conservationists have another reason to celebrate, as the wild crested ibis population just got a little larger. Eight crested ibises released in Japan in 2026 are the latest to join a growing wild population, just over 20 years after the birds went extinct in the wild due to overhunting and environmental changes.
The crested ibis conservation success was celebrated with crowds of cheering people, who gathered at Hakui city in the Noto region on May 31 to watch the birds being released from their cages. It was a joyful and poignant moment for everyone involved, and a reminder that wildlife conservation can bring species back from the brink of extinction.
@abcnews Eight crested ibises were released into the wild in a north-central Japanese town, decades after the birds went extinct in the country. The birds went extinct on the Honshu main island in the 1970s, threatened by overhunting and environmental degradation. #abcnews#news
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Watching these large, colorful birds flap away is incredibly inspiring, especially considering the last native Japanese crested ibis died in 2003. Still, many viewers are just as blown away by the birds themselves as by their journey back from near-extinction.
Commenter @caleb_trask asked, "What in the Jurassic Park is this?" These birds have a prehistoric vibe with their long beaks and sleek, pointed wings, but everyone can rest assured-they are only birds, and not carnivorous pterodactyls. Seeing one in the wild can still be a huge surprise!
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A group of Australian commenters, like @micahwilson1203, left everyone else confused after writing sentiments like, "They are some beautiful crested bin chickens." Apparently, Australian ibises are known for rummaging through trash bins and scavenging any snacks they can find-just like an aggressive seagull or angry goose-but these are not the same birds as the ones released in Japan.
There are many species in the ibis family, and the one making headlines is the crested ibis, which is native to Asia. The Australian white ibis, on the other hand, is the formal name of the iconic 'bin chicken.' Unlike their crested cousins, the Australian ibis is not endangered.
How the Crested Ibis Came Back From the Brink of Extinction
The crested ibis conservation effort has been underway for decades. This bird species went extinct on Japan's Honshu island in the 1970s, and in 1981, scientists discovered the last seven wild crested ibises in China. Breeding programs began shortly after, though in 2003, the last wild crested ibis in all of Japan died on Sado Island.
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In 1999, a pair of crested ibises donated from China led to the first chick born in Japanese captivity. Ten birds were first released back on Sado Island in 2008, where they've grown into a population of over 500 today. Globally, the crested ibis population is estimated to be around 12,000, though they are still considered an endangered species.
As conservation efforts have already proven, it's only a matter of time until the crested ibis population is almost as stable as it was decades ago.
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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 4:45 PM.