Missing for 20 years, then a reappearance in the skies

All descendants of the crested ibis are offspring of the seven birds found in Yangxian county in 1981, and experts continue to look for ways to ensure that genetic issues do not compromise the bird's ability to produce healthy offspring and thus limit its propagation.

The recent publication of the book's Chinese version has put the crested ibis back on the agenda, Chen said, and he called for more attention to measures aimed at protecting it.

People should preserve their habitats, which will lead to the conservation of many other species living in the area, He said, leading in turn to an improvement in the environment that will benefit humans.

"The rescue and preservation of crested ibises is powerful proof of China's commitment to strengthening and improving the natural environment, and an important achievement of biodiversity conservation," Liu said in a short documentary about him in 2018.

Nowadays, conservation efforts have been helping local economies both in Yangxian county and Sado Island, the last major habitat of crested ibises in Japan.