The Veterinarian at the Rare Wild Animal （Japanese crested ibis；Nipponia nippon） Breeding Facility

Abstract

After the Meiji Period, the numbers of Japanese crested ibis(Nipponia nippon) decreased due to excessive hunting and environmental deterioration. They completely disappeared from the wild in 1981. The last Japanese crested ibis indigenous to Japan died in captivity in 2003. However,China donated a pair of them to the Sado Japanese Crested Ibis Conservation Center (SJCICC) in 1999.The Center succeeded in breeding them with this pair as the founders. Then China gave the additional individuals to the Center and numbers have increased to approximately 200. Presently, these are also maintained separately at Tama Zoological Park, Ishikawa Zoo, and Izumo City Japanese Crested Ibis Breeding Center. Moreover, the SJCICC has reintroduced them to the wild since 2008. My main responsibilities at the Nagaoka City Japanese Crested Ibis Breeding Center, a rare animal breeding and conserving facility, include daily observations, feeding, breeding and adapting them to the wild, and releasing adapted birds.I also conduct medical treatments, sanitation maintenance, and autopsies. The mass media has been focusing on this rare species and I often feel immense pressure and responsibility for each bird's life, from its hatching to its death and finally its autopsy. I transferred from the SJCICC to the newly opened Nagaoka City Japanese Crested Ibis Breeding Center in April 2011. Preparatory experiments were conducted at the Center using other closely-related birds.The Center's cages and feed were approved for use. Two pairs of them are scheduled for transportation to Nagaoka from Sado on October 11 2011.