The crested ibis was once a familiar sight in parts of Japan. Known as toki in Japanese, the bird appeared in art, literature, and folklore for centuries. But hunting, habitat loss, and environmental changes pushed the species toward extinction. By 2003, the last native Japanese crested ibis had died. Now, more than two decades later, the bird is making an unlikely return.

Meet the Toki

The crested ibis is one of those birds that looks almost too colorful to be real. Its feathers appear white from a distance, but flashes of pink and orange emerge beneath its wings when it takes flight, complemented by the bright red skin around its eyes. For centuries, the bird appeared in Japanese art, literature, and folklore, and it’s not hard to understand why.

How a Common Bird Nearly Disappeared

The crested ibis faced a series of problems that often affect wildlife. People hunted the birds for meat and feathers. Meanwhile, traditional wetlands and rice paddies that supported their food supply began disappearing. Modern pesticides reduced the frogs, insects, and small aquatic animals they relied on. By the 1970s, the species had vanished from Japan’s main island. Conservationists tried to save the remaining birds, but the population continued shrinking. Eventually, the last native Japanese crested ibis died in 2003. At that point, the species’ future looked bleak. Instead, an unlikely discovery would give it a second chance.

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The International Rescue Mission

The crested ibis survived thanks to a discovery in China. In 1981, conservationists there located a tiny surviving population of just seven birds. Those birds became the foundation of an international recovery effort. Later, China donated breeding birds to Japan. In 1999, a pair helped produce the first crested ibis chick successfully born in captivity in Japan. From there, conservationists slowly rebuilt the population. It was not a quick process. It took decades of breeding programs, habitat restoration, and careful releases into the wild.

Back in the Sky

This week, eight crested ibises were released into the wild in Hakui, a city in Japan’s Noto region. The location is significant because it was one of the last places where wild ibises were seen before they disappeared from the area. The release was celebrated by local residents and attended by members of Japan’s royal family. Ten additional birds are expected to follow. Today, roughly 500 crested ibises live in and around Japan’s reintroduction programs. That may not sound like a huge number, but compared to zero, it is an extraordinary success.

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The Thing To Remember

For years, the crested ibis was something Japan remembered. This week, it became something people could see again.

That is your Daily Brain for today.

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