White Storks and Endangered Species

South Chungcheong province: The project is being hailed as an encouraging symbol of cross-strait environmental cooperation, according to Asahi Shimbun. As a first step, eight artificially bred oriental storks will be released Sept 3 at the new storks park preservation center in Yesan county, South Chungcheong province, about 110 kilometers south of Seoul. Oriental white storks are an endangered species after wild birds became extinct in both Japan and South Korea by 1971 due to a loss of habitats. The western Japanese city of Toyooka, which successfully reintroduced oriental storks into the wild a decade ago, provided six birds for the South Korean endeavor as well as breeding and protection expertise. If oriental storks frequently travel between Japan and South Korea, it will increase the genetic diversity of the birds, which is essential for preservation of the species. It is encouraging to have another new research hub in East Asia, said Yasuo Ezaki, chief researcher at the Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork preservation facility in Toyooka. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.