BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand has achieved a historic milestone in wildlife conservation as critically endangered Asian woolly-necked storks have successfully bred in the wild for the first time, officials announced on Monday.
Officials from the Zoological Park Organization of Thailand and Khao Kheow Open Zoo revealed that this breakthrough comes after seven years of research and efforts to reintroduce the species to its natural habitat.
It marks the first time in the country’s history that this species has been recorded breeding and raising offspring in the wild. Furthermore, it is a global first for a bird raised in captivity to be fully rewilded and successfully breed in the wild following guidelines of the IUCN Species Survival Commission and the Association of Zoo and Aquarium.
The 14 storks, including the breeding pair, were released into the Dong Yai Wildlife Sanctuary in July 2021 to celebrate the birthday of His Majesty the King.
After undergoing a three-year behavioral rehabilitation program, the birds were deemed ready for reintroduction. The three chicks, now over a month old, are being cared for by their parents and are receiving support from local villagers in Non Din Daeng district, Buri Ram province. (TNA)
