Wings over Sado: The Ibis and the Farmers Who Brought It Back

(Crested Ibis (Nipponia nippon) via Wikimedia Commons / Used under CC BY-SA 3.0)

Known as toki in Japanese, it was a symbol of the country's rich natural heritage, its pale pink wings and bright red face appearing in art and literature. Its scientific name, Nipponia nippon, even echoes the Japanese name for Japan itself. But by the early 2000s, it was gone. The last wild Japanese crested ibis(kin) died on Sado Island in 2003. The bird had vanished from the country entirely.

(Kin within her enclosure at the Sado Toki Conservation center:NIPPONIA)

The crested ibis once inhabited nearly all parts of Japan. But over time, its numbers plunged. Overhunting for its feathers took a heavy toll ,habitat loss and a decline in food sources like loaches, caused by the widespread use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, made survival increasingly difficult. On Honshu, Japan's main island, the last wild crested ibis was captured in 1970. The species was on the edge of extinction.

Hope arrived from across the sea. In January 1999, China donated a breeding pair of crested ibises to Japan — a male named Youyou and a female named Yangyang. They arrived on Sado Island as a symbol of friendship between the two nations.

(Youyou and Yangyang on Sado Island:China Daily.)

On 21 May 1999, the pair's first egg hatched in Japan, marking the first captive-bred crested ibis chick born in the country. The chick, named Yu yu, would go on to parent 68 fledglings, playing a pivotal role in Japan's recovery programme.

The programme grew. In 2008, ten birds raised at the Sado Japanese Crested Ibis Conservation Center were released into the wild for the first time in 27 years. The first step in reintroducing them had succeeded.

(Captive bred Japanese crested ibises flying from release crates during a reintroduction ceremony:Associated Press –Official coverage of the Sado Crested Ibis Release Ceremony)

But breeding alone was not enough. The ibis did not return simply because people protected one species; it returned because an entire community restored a landscape where life could come back.

Farmers and local communities improved rice-field habitats by reducing pesticides and chemical fertilisers by at least 50%, and mowing paddy ridges instead of using herbicides. This created environments where ibises could forage in a more natural way, feeding on loaches, frogs, and insects that thrive in healthy wetlands.

 In 2008, Sado City introduced the "Toki-to-Kurasu-Sato" (Villages Coexisting with the Crested Ibis) rice certification programme. Its twin purpose was securing feeding grounds for the ibis and promoting environmentally friendly agriculture. Certified rice is purchased at higher prices than ordinary rice, with part of the proceeds funding conservation. The programme has also helped restore Sado's rice brand after a devastating typhoon in 2004 wiped out that year's entire crop. Behind it were collaborative efforts by farmers, the agricultural cooperative, and the government.

(Two Crested Ibises (Nipponia nippon) forage for food while a farmer operates a tractor nearby, highlighting the close coexistence between local agricultural practices and endangered bird conservation:Wikimedia Commons. )

By the end of 2025, the wild crested ibis population on Sado Island had grown to an estimated 473 birds. Today, more than 500 ibises live in the wild on Sado, and about 80% were born in the wild — a sign that local conservation efforts have taken root.

But with success came a new challenge: the island was becoming too small to support a growing population. To reduce the risk of infectious diseases and to expand the species' range, the decision was made to begin releases on Honshu.

For the people of Noto, the release held special meaning. The region had been devastated by a massive earthquake in 2024. Noto was also the last habitat for the Japanese crested ibis on Honshu. The return of the ibis was seen as a symbol of recovery and a source of hope.Some farmers had been preparing for this moment for years, adjusting their farming practices to welcome the bird back.

(An adult Crested Ibis (Nipponia nippon) stands over a twig nest caring for three downy chicks inside an enclosure: Sado Crested Ibis Conservation Center in Japan)

Japan aims to raise the number of mature individuals to over 1,000. Future releases are planned in other regions, including Izumo in Shimane Prefecture.

The crested ibis is easily alarmed and needs a quiet environment, especially during the breeding season. Some local governments have withdrawn their applications to receive releases due to concerns that the birds would trample rice plants. But the government has emphasised the importance of explaining the significance of the project to gain public understanding.

The ibis is a symbol of coexistence between nature and human livelihoods, a reminder that even species on the brink can be brought back. Its return to the skies of Noto is a testament to the power of international cooperation, community effort, and patient conservation.

(Crested Ibis (Nipponia nippon) The white bird in front shows non-breeding plumage with an erect crest, red face, and long curved bill; the grey bird behind displays breeding plumage, stained by its own skin secretions.)

If the ibis could speak, would it thank us — or ask why we waited until it was almost gone? 🕊️