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Toki, 'modern phoenix' of Japan brought back from extinction

Saved from becoming a folklore
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Saved from becoming a folklore

Wild Toki once lived across Japan, as well as in Russia, Taiwan and South Korea. They were considered a pest that damaged rice plants, but during Japan's Edo era, from 1603 to 1867, hunting restrictions meant only high-ranking officials could actively pursue birds like Toki.

Poached for feather and meat
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Poached for feather and meat

That changed in the Meiji era and as guns became more available. Toki meat was believed to have health benefits, and its feathers were favoured for everything from dusters to decorative flourishes on hats. By the early 1930s, only a few dozen Toki remained in Japan, mostly on Sado and the nearby Noto peninsula, and the species won protected status.

Threat from pesticides
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Threat from pesticides

A fresh threat then emerged during Japan's post-war drive for growth with the rising use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Toki feeds primarily in rice paddies that mimic marshy wetland habitats and they are undiscriminating diners, eating everything from insects to small crabs and frogs.

Wild Toki discovered in China
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Wild Toki discovered in China

The chemicals affected the birds and their food, and by 1981 just five wild Toki remained in Japan, all on Sado, where officials took them into protective captivity. But by bizarre coincidence, the same year a population of seven wild Toki was discovered in a remote area of China's Shaanxi province, reviving hopes for the bird's survival.
 

Captive breeding
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Captive breeding

Since then, the breeding programme has continued, supplemented by birds from China that help broaden the gene pool. Around 20 birds are released twice a year after graduating from a three-month training programme that prepares them for life outside a cage.
 

Bird
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Bird

Now so many Toki roam the skies and rice paddies of Sado that local officials have gone from discouraging eager birdwatchers to training guides to help visitors spot the local icon, and the government is even studying reintroducing the bird elsewhere. China's wild population now numbers over 4,450, and a South Korean project released 40 Toki for the first time in 2019.
(with inputs from agencies)