Japan's Storks Make Remarkable Comeback

Sep 27, 2026 | News On Japan

HYOGO - Japan's wild population of Oriental storks has exceeded 700 birds following decades of conservation efforts, with successful breeding across the country putting the population on track to surpass 1,000 within two years.

The Oriental stork, designated a special natural monument in Japan, became extinct in the country's wild population in 1971. Captive breeding programs continued, and efforts to reintroduce the birds into the wild began in 2005.

According to the Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork, the number of storks living in the wild had reached 728 across 14 prefectures, including Hyogo, by the end of August, following the conclusion of this year's breeding season.

Breeding has been particularly successful in Joetsu, Niigata Prefecture, where five chicks from a single nest all successfully fledged.

With reproduction progressing steadily in several regions, the park expects Japan's wild stork population to exceed 1,000 within the next two years, marking a major milestone in the recovery of a species that disappeared from the country's natural environment more than half a century ago.

Source: KTV NEWS

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