XI'AN, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Forty-five years after the rediscovery of the world's last seven wild crested ibises in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, the endangered bird has established stable populations in 15 provincial-level regions across the country, demonstrating exceptional conservation success.

Two crested ibises rest on a branch in Yangxian county, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, in May, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua)

As of the end of 2025, the global population of the crested ibis had exceeded 12,000, and its habitat had expanded to more than 20,000 square kilometers, according to the latest statistics from the Forestry Bureau of Shaanxi Province. The species has been lowered from the "Critically Endangered" status to "Endangered" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Historically widespread in East Asia, the crested ibis nearly disappeared from the wild due to environmental changes and human activity. On May 23, 1981, Chinese scientists discovered the last seven wild crested ibises in Yangxian County in Hanzhong City, Shaanxi. Intensive conservation efforts were launched shortly after that.

Li Jie, deputy head of Yangxian County, recalled the immediate action taken: "After the rediscovery, the county enforced strict ecological protection rules, banning hunting, logging, the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and land clearance and blasting."

Over the past 45 years, the crested ibis population has made a remarkable leap -- from the brink of extinction to slow growth, and now to accelerated recovery. But conservation efforts have gone beyond simply increasing numbers. To address challenges such as low genetic diversity and highly concentrated distribution, cross-region rewilding programs and genetic exchanges have been implemented.

Today, the crested ibis can be found across both the Yangtze and Yellow River basins, ranging from inland areas to coastal zones. Yangxian County has provided over 300 birds as breeding stock to help rebuild populations across China, as well as in Japan and the Republic of Korea.

"Rewilding efforts in various locations have expanded the birds' range and living space. Adapting to different climates, environments and food sources has enhanced the species' resilience to both natural changes and climate changes to help ensure the full recovery of the crested ibises," said Yan Lu, deputy director of the Shaanxi Hanzhong Crested Ibis National Nature Reserve Administration.