“Twenty crested ibises were released into the wild in Xiaolong Mountain, Tianshui city, Gansu province, on Sunday. This marks a new stage in the province's efforts to restore wild populations of the endangered bird, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

These crested ibises underwent strict rewilding training and health checks before being fitted with identification tags and released. The move is expected to help the species return to its historical distribution areas, expand its survival space in the wild, and improve the regional conservation network, the administration stated in a media release.

In 1981, only seven wild individuals of the bird were discovered in Yangxian county, Shaanxi province, believed to be the last of their kind. Thanks to over four decades of dedicated conservation, the global population of the crested ibis has now surpassed 10,000, with most residing in Yangxian.”

From China Daily.