Toki, extinct in Korea 40 years ago, succeeded in artificial breeding

Gps

국내서 멸종된 따오기, 40년만에 야생에서 다시 '날갯짓'(종합)

송고시간 | 2019-05-08 16:24

10년간 피나는 복원 노력 끝에 22일 창녕서 40마리 방사

1979년 DMZ서 발견 후 자취 감춰…사냥·농약살포 등으로 멸종

Crested ibis, extinct in Korea 40 years ago, succeeded in artificial breeding

Going back to nature after 10 years of restoration efforts 

Lastly found in the DMZ in 1979, extinctionized by hunting and spraying of pesticides 

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Crested ibis (Nipponia nippon), also known as Toki (トキ), that has been extinct in Korea will be seen again in the wild. It has been 40 years since it was discovered last time in 1979, and 10 years since a restoration study was began with a pair of tokis presented by China.  

The Ministry of Environment and Cultural Heritage Administration, Gyeongsangnam-do, and Changnyeong County announced on the 8th that they will let tokis, a natural monument No. 198 and the second grade of endangered wildlife go to nature at the Restoration Center in Changpo, Changnyeong County, Gyeongsangnam-do Province on the 22nd. 

Scientifically named Nipponia nippon, and belonging to the family of Threskiornithidae of the Ciconiidae family, crested ibises were relatively common birds in our country, so that so that there are a famous children's song about it. 

The height is about 75-78㎝, and when the wings are spread, the length is 150-160cm.

Toki had widely lived throughout Northeast Asia. There is a record that many tokies existed in Korea around 1860. In 1913, a group of fifty tokis were found in northern Seoul. 

However, since the bird was taken on the photo in the DMZ in 1979, the wild toki has completely disappeared in Korea. 

Lee Jun-hee, director of the biodiversity department at the Ministry of Environment, said, "Toki are relatively slow in their behavior, and they are easily sacrificed by hunting in areas where people live", "It has become extinct due to habitat destruction and food shortages caused by overfishing and pesticides." 

Chinese President Hu Jintao presented a pair of tokis at the time of the Korea-China summit in 2008, and since then efforts to restore it has began. Until 2009, Changnyeong County developed its breeding technique with the help of a Chinese zookeeper for one year. 

As Chinese President Xi Jinping donated two males in 2013, studies to artificially proliferate Tokis has been accelerated. 

As a result of dedication by Changnyeong Upo Toki Restoration Center, the number of tokis has increased to 363. 

In the meantime, if a bird flu virus occurs in Korea, the Toki Restoration Center staff has done its utmost to protect the birds for 24 hours.

Toki are migratory birds that migrate in Northeast Asia. Therefore, it can not be said that the Tokis donated in China are genetically different from the extinct Korean endemic species. 

However, it is true that genetic diversity is lacking because four breed have crossed to 363.

The Ministry of Environment and Cultural Heritage Administration, and Gyeongsangnam-do Province have also supported Changnyeong County. 

Korea, China and Japan opened 'Toki International Seminar' in 2008 and exchanged restoration technologies. 

There are a total of 40 tokis that are let go to nature this time. It means to emit them in 40 years after it was extinct in 1979.

tokis presented by Xi Jinping

Those Forty-three tokis have been trained in the wild adaptation training camp for the past three months, adapting to humans and things, feeding, and adjusting to crying. 

Changnyeong County will identify the location in real time by attaching GPS and rings to the tokis that will be released. 

In addition, 80 researchers and volunteers plan to observe the birds every day.

If a toki is diseased or injured, it will be treated at the Natural Monument Rescue & Treatment Center in Changnyeong in December this year. 

flying 따오기s

Considering foreign cases, there is a possibility that the survival rate of the birds will be not so high. Since 2008, Japan has released 19 toikis, but the survival rate was only about 40% for three years. 

In order to increase the survival rate, 'soft release' was adopted. It is a way to open the entrance to the wild adaptation training ground where Toki is trained for three months so that the Toki can go to the wild and the training field.

It is expected that it will be less stressful than the 'hard release' which puts one box in the box and opens the box door. 

On May 22, a wild spinning event takes place in Changnyeong. Minister of Environment Jo Myeeongrae, Administrator of Cultural Heritage Administration Jeong Jaesuk, Governor of Gyeongnam Province Kim Gyeongsu are expected to attend.

tokis

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