The artificial breeding and wild release of crested ibises were carried out for the first time in northern Shaanxi Province in northwest China, the provincial forestry bureau said on Friday.

Twenty crested ibises from the Shaanxi Hanzhong Crested Ibis National Nature Reserve and 20 from the Qinling Giant Panda Research Center were relocated to the captive breeding and wild release experimental sites in Nanniwan of Yan'an City and Hengshan District of Yulin City, respectively. 

"The introduction of crested ibises to northern Shaanxi Province aims to cultivate their ability to adapt to life in cold regions, paving the way for the introduction of crested ibises to northern areas," said Liu Yinzeng, an ornithologist from the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, who is esteemed for his rediscovery of the crested ibis about 40 years ago.

He added that, historically, crested ibises inhabited Yan'an City and Yulin City in northern Shaanxi. This time, the trial is a new attempt at protecting the rare birds in their historical habitat. 

In recent years, Yan'an City and Yulin City have significantly improved their surrounding environment through increased ecological conservation and restoration, enabling them to meet the living requirements of crested ibises in the wild. The base in Nanniwan is surrounded by artificial wetlands consisting of marshlands, paddy fields and reservoirs. The Hengshan base is located in the Wuding river basin. Both sites can provide ample food and suitable habitat for crested ibises.

Dubbed an "oriental gem," the crested ibis was once considered extinct. In 1981, scientists found the last seven wild crested ibises in Yangxian County in Shaanxi. After over four decades of protection, the number of crested ibises in Shaanxi now exceeds 7,000, and its global population has expanded to over 9,000.

(Cover image via CFP)