Rare crested ibis chick fledges in Japan

This is a video about the crested ibis nest in Japan.

From Mainichi daily in Japan:

Wild crested ibis chick leaves nest, 1st time in 38 years in Japan

NIIGATA, Japan (Kyodo) — A crested ibis chick left its nest on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture on Friday, becoming the first wild ibis to do so in 38 years in Japan, the Environment Ministry said.

Ministry officials monitored the ibis chick flying to a nearby tree branch in late Friday morning on a live video feed available on the Internet since May 5, it said.

It is one of three wild crested ibis chicks born in late April to a 3-year-old male and a 2-year-old female released in March 2011. Five more chicks were born subsequently.

Welcoming the event, Environment Minister Goshi Hosono said in a statement, “The development … represents a great step forward for Japan’s reintroduction of crested ibises to the wild.”

Japan has been trying to reintroduce the endangered species to the wild since 2008, following successful artificial breeding with a pair of the birds presented by China in 1999. A total of 78 ibises have been released from the Sado ibis protection center.

May 25, 2012(