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Crane Species Rescued from Endangered List
17 Mar
Summary
- Red-crowned crane status downgraded from threatened to near-threatened.
- Crane population recovered from 33 in 1952 to about 1,200.
- Crested ibis status improved from critically endangered to endangered.
The red-crowned crane, also known as the Japanese crane, has been removed from the Environment Ministry's list of threatened species. Its status was downgraded from 'threatened' to 'near-threatened' due to a successful population recovery.
This positive assessment signifies a low risk of extinction for the species. The crane's population in Hokkaido had dwindled to just 33 individuals in 1952, largely due to overhunting. However, dedicated conservation efforts have since boosted the wild population to an estimated 1,200 adult cranes.
Furthermore, the ministry revised the conservation status of the crested ibis. Reintroduction efforts on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture have led to its status being improved from 'critically endangered' to 'endangered'.
The ministry's list of threatened species, first issued in 1991 and updated approximately every five years, has seen an overall increase. The number of threatened species has risen by 22 to a total of 204, with the dunlin among the newly added species.
