China's crested ibis national protection and research center has been approved and construction will commence in September in Hanzhong City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, marking the country's first national-level center dedicated to protecting the species.

The center is jointly established by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration and Shaanxi Province, utilizing the Shaanxi Hanzhong Crested Ibis National Nature Reserve, which was established in 2005, as its foundation. It aims to significantly enhance the research and protection of the species through scientific research, rescue operations, breeding, release to the wild and other related initiatives.

The bird used to be widespread in China, the Korean Peninsula, Japan and Russia. In China, the crested ibis populated 14 provinces, with Shaanxi Province in northwest China being one of its favorite habitats.

However, its global population dropped rapidly in the 1960s due to habitat loss and the use of pesticides and fertilizers. Their low fertility and weak capabilities against natural enemies further pushed them to the brink of extinction.

In 1981, experts discovered seven wild crested ibises in Yangxian County, Shaanxi Province. After more than 40 years of species protection efforts, the global population of crested ibises now exceeds 10,000, with 7,700 residing in Shaanxi Province alone.