Japan, China Join Hands to Protect Crested Ibis

Japanese Environment Minister Yuriko Koike and Chinese State Forestry Administration Director Zhou Shangxian signed an agreement on a joint project to protect the crested ibis on 27 October, 2003. This project, which will last until 2010, is a framework for Japan-China cooperation to protect the crested ibis, defining the objectives of conserving the bird and the areas of mutual cooperation.

The crested ibis is one of the most endangered bird species in the world, found only in China and Japan today. The total population of the species in the two countries is estimated at only about 600.

The project aims at increasing the wild population of crested ibises by protecting ibises now found in the wild and also by releasing artificially bred ibises into the wild. It also aims at promoting educational activities of local residents and ecotourism in the habitats of the bird. Japan and China plan to actively promote exchanges of human resources and information to achieve these goals.

The Japan-China joint project is expected to strengthen and expand their concerted conservation efforts made since 1985, as well as to make a significant contribution to stabilizing and increasing the populations of the species in both countries.




Posted: 2004/05/02 01:31:59 PM
Japanese version