The crested ibis, one of the world's most endangered species, is referred to as the panda of birds. In 1981, only seven wild crested ibises were discovered in Yangxian County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. But the population has grown consistently thanks to decades of conservation.

It is estimated that there are just over 3,000 crested ibises, both in captivity and in the wild worldwide, including 2,500 in China, 500 in Japan and another 309 in South Korea.

(Cover image by Qin Xianli from Luli Studio. The photo was taken at the Yishuihe wetland in Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province, northwest China.)