KANAZAWA, Japan (Kyodo) -- Crested ibises, designated as natural treasures, were released into the wild in central Japan on Sunday, marking the first time in 56 years the country's main island has had these birds.

The number of wild crested ibises had tumbled due to overhunting and other factors and the last one on the main island of Honshu was captured in 1970.

Japan's native ibises went extinct in 2003 but breeding efforts using birds donated by China have helped the reintroduction of the species into the wild.

On Sunday, eight birds were released in Hakui, Ishikawa Prefecture, as the Environment Ministry aims to expand the habitat of crested ibises beyond Sado Island where breeding and conservation efforts have been under way for years.

The release of the crested ibises is being treated by the local prefectural government as a symbol of the area's revival from a deadly earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula on New Year's Day in 2024.

Crested ibises are known to be sensitive to their environment and local communities have taken steps to create a favorable habitat ahead of Sunday's release, such as reducing their use of pesticides in paddy fields. Crested ibises favor insects, frogs and small fish.

Since the first release in 2008, the population of crested ibises on Sado in the Sea of Japan off Niigata Prefecture, has increased to around 500.