Rare video captures crested ibis hatching miracle

Researchers at the Crested Ibis National Nature Reserve in Hanzhong city of Shaanxi province recently recorded an extremely rare and valuable video about bird hatching via artificial breeding.

The crested ibis is an endangered species and a first-class protected animal in China.

Once considered extinct, seven wild crested ibises were found in Hanzhong in May 1981. Over the past 43 years, Shaanxi has adopted measures involving environmental conservation and wetland restoration in the crested ibis' habitat. As a result, the population has recovered.

With more than 11,000 crested ibis globally, the species has been downgraded from critically endangered to endangered.

Video by Mu Cheng and Wang Xi/For chinadaily.com.cn