Population of endangered crested ibis grows in NW China
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The population of the crested ibis, an endangered bird once believed to be extinct in China, has expanded to 1,400 in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, thanks to three decades of conservation.
About half of the ibises are living in the wild in a reserve for the rare birds in Hanzhong City, said Jia Lianyou, a publicity official in Yangxian County, where the reserve is located.
The other half are artificially bred in Shaanxi Province.
Crested ibises were found in China, Japan, Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Environmental deterioration caused the population to rapidly shrink in the 1930s and 1940s. The bird was believed to be extinct in the late 1950s.
In 1981, Chinese scientists found seven ibises in Yangxian County, reigniting hope the species could be saved. A four-member team was established to protect and sustain the species.
"We started by improving the local environment and banning the use of fertilizers, pesticides, fireworks and all explosives in the county in 1990," said Jia.
The fertilizer and pesticide ban led to a drop in grain production, causing an average 5 million yuan in economic losses annually for farmers, he said. "The farmers have contributed greatly to the revival of the species."
Today, the nature reserve for crested ibises covers an area of more than 3,000 square km. It spans six counties and has Yangxian at its center.
The reserve has sent 93 birds to 10 artificial breeding bases in Japan, the Republic of Korea and other parts of China.
"As the population of captive-bred ibises grows, we have released some of them into the wild," said Yan Lu, an official at the reserve. "This is the best way to keep the species from becoming extinct."
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