On May 21, a Japanese crested ibis was born at a conservation center on Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture. The ibis, teetering on the brink of extinction, was designated by the Japanese government as a special natural monument in 1952 and as an internationally protected bird in 1960. Japanese efforts to breed the birds in captivity began in 1979, but all of these efforts failed until recently, when a Japanese crested ibis egg finally hatched. This milestone, achieved with extensive help from China, marked Japan's first successful breeding of the rare bird in captivity.

A Symbol of Japan
The Japanese crested ibis is known scientifically as Nipponia nippon. As the name suggests, these birds once ranged throughout Japan. The ibis's feeding grounds--rice paddies and marshes--put the bird in close connection with Japanese people's everyday lives. In its natural habitat, the bird feeds on wetland creatures such as frogs, small fish, and insects. The Japanese crested ibis was once one of the birds most strongly associated with the nation; its name even appears in the Nihon Shoki, an ancient chronicle of Japan. The way the birds looked as they flocked overhead, their pale-peach-colored wings outstretched, inspired the phrase, "an ibis-colored sky."

But in the latter half of the nineteenth century, the ibis's numbers dropped sharply as the birds were ruthlessly hunted for their beautiful feathers, and killed by farmers who resented them for disturbing their rice paddies. Then, in the 20th century, human disruption of nature and degradation of the environment brought the birds to the brink of extinction. In 1981, the five remaining wild Japanese crested ibises were captured, but efforts to breed them failed, and Japan's ibis-colored skies became a thing of the past.

Currently, China has a total of about 120 crested ibises either living wild or raised in captivity. Until recently, Japan had only one: Kin, a female captured in 1968. Kin's estimated age of 32 is equivalent to around 100 for a human, and there was little hope that the complete extinction of the ibis in Japan could be avoided.

A Sweet Name for the Chick
That worry was alleviated somewhat when the new chick's parents, You You (male) and Yang Yang (female), came to Sado Island in January as a gift from China. Chinese President Jiang Zemin announced the gift last November, when he visited Japan. The pair of Japanese crested ibises commenced courtship in early March. Between late April and early May, Yang Yang laid four eggs, one of which hatched on May 21.

At birth, the chick was 15 centimeters (6 inches) long and weighed just over 50 grams (1.8 ounces). Roughly a month after the chick's birth, its weight has increased to 1,240 grams (2.7 pounds), and it is showing signs of bonding with its parents. The baby has developed a healthy appetite for both manufactured feed and live fish. It appears likely to spread its wings and fly some time in July.

To name the chick, the conservation center solicited suggestions from elementary schools throughout Japan and Japanese schools overseas. In early July the name "Yu Yu," written with characters meaning "gentle" or "sweet," was chosen from some 11,000 suggestions that the center received. With this much attention focused on the bird in its first few weeks of life, doubtless Yu Yu will continue to be a central figure in the public eye for some time to come.

Edited by Japan Echo Inc. based on domestic Japanese news sources. Articles presented here are offered for reference purposes and do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Japanese Government.

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