Reintroduction（2011）1:81 – 85

Yoshito Ohsako: International cooperative strategy for the stork conservation

REPORT

Establishing an international cooperative strategy for theconservation of Oriental White Storks in Northeast Asia
* Yoshito Ohsako1
Abstract The status and tactics of conservation policies

White Stork are needed to develop an International Con-for the Oriental White Stork are different in Russia,servation Plan (ICP) for the Oriental White Stork through-China, South Korea and Japan. To better help the storks

out its wide range in Northeast Asia.

through collaboration we need to establish effective inter-

Key words Oriental White Stork, Northeast Asia, Inter-national networks for communication. The reintroduction

national cooperative strategy, Conservation, Information

project of the Oriental White Storks was initiated in 2005

and studies, Aviculturists and researchersin Toyooka area, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Subsequently,
the Toyooka stork population has increased with an average of 5.4 birds added per year although 1.8 birds died

Introduction

each year. Most of the young storks left and then returned

An international conference titled ＂AMUR＇ ₂₀₀₀-Orien-to Toyooka. Only a few have not as yet returned andtal Stork and Wetland Conservation at Amur River Basin＂

remain elsewhere in Japan. Two storks from mainland

was held in Khabarovsk, Russia in ₂₀₀₀. Aviculturists,Asia visited Toyooka area to breed. Such cases promoteresearchers and members of NGOs from Russia, China,

genetic exchange between the Japanese reintroduced pop-

Japan, South Korea, Belgium and the USA discussed

ulation and mainland wild population. In Hyogo Prefec-

strategies for international cooperation in the conservationture, Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork (HPOWS)of the Oriental White Stork in Northeast Asia (Darmanhas been established as a center for captive breeding and₂₀₀₀). During the past decade, the wild populations ofreintroduction projects of storks and has three basic func-storks in Russia and China have been monitored, ﬂourish-tions; aviculture, research and education. There have been

ing captive populations were established in Japan andmany successes and failures. The knowledge and skills

South Korea, and since ₁₉₉₂, efforts have been underway

developed at HPOWS, can perhaps be helpful for conser-in Japan to reestablish a wild population (Ryabinin ₂₀₀₈).

vation and introduction projects of storks in other areas ofHowever, worldwide population of Oriental White Storks

Japan and in other countries. Because original breedingis still small, ca. ₃,₀₀₀ birds (Delany and Scott ₂₀₀₆)

populations in South Korea and Japan, declined and thenalthough this species is protected throughout its range anddisappeared, it was assumed there was little genetic ﬂow

listed on the IUCN Red List. Wild storks are distributed

among the populations and that eventually inbreeding

mainly in Russia and China where they migrate between

promoted attrition of the populations. Russia had the mostbreeding grounds in northern China and southeasternsuccessful breeding population towards the end of theRussia, to major winrering grounds on lakes associatedrecent century, and it was assumed that genetic stock fromwith the floodplain of the Yangtze River in southernthat populations might facilitate success with reintroduced

China. Russia and China have the responsibility to con-populations in Japan and South Korea. Continued

serve and manage the breeding grounds and China has theexchanges of information and studies, and aviculturists

task of protecting the wintering ground. The goal of theand researchers among the range nations of the Oriental

reintroduction project in Japan is establishing a selfsustaining resident (non-migratory) population. The same

₁

Division of Research, Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork/
Institute of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University ofHyogo, ₁₂₈, Shounji, Toyooka ₆₆₈-₀₈₁₄, Japan* E-mail:project is planned in South Korea. Although there are
unique challenges for the conservation of the Oriental
White Stork in each of the range nations, many sharedproblems can be effectively addressed through interna81

Reintroduction（2011）1:81 – 85

tional communication and collaboration.

₂. Dispersal of young storks of Toyooka population

A total of ₂₃ young storks that were hatched in the wild

Status of the reintroduced and immigrant Oriental White Storks in Japanof Toyooka area left there in ₄₂ times until ₂₀₁₀, to visit
wide-ranged area from Tohoku to Kyushu District, Japan.
The longest distance of dispersal was more than ₇₀₀km

The Japanese native population of storks became

far directly from Toyooka area. However, most of theextinct in the wild in ₁₉₇₁ and in captivity in ₁₉₈₆ (Ikedastorks returned back to Toyooka area and several storks

₂₀₀₀). The reintroduction project of Oriental White Storks

stayed outside it: J₀₀₀₆ (₂y.o., ♀) in Kurashiki City,was started in ₂₀₀₅ in Toyooka area of Tajima region,Okayama, J₀₀₀₉ (₂y.o.,♀) in Seiyo City, Ehime, J₀₀₂₂

Hyogo Prefecture, Japan (Ohsako et al. ₂₀₀₈) according(₀y.o.,♀) in Gobo City, Wakayama, as of ₂₆th October,to the IUCN guidelines for reintroduction (IUCN ₁₉₉₈).

₂₀₁₀. Especially, J₀₀₀₉ moved seasonally as like migra-The ecological conditions necessary for establishing ation between Miyagi Prefecture and Ehime Prefecture.

sustainable population of the storks in the wild were as
follows: Dispersion, breeding, self-living, increase in

₃. Immigration of wild storks into Toyooka population

abundance, expansion in distribution and increase in

A total of ₁₆₉ sighting records of the storks were col-genetic diversity. After release in ₂₀₀₅, the storks werelected between ₂₀₀₀ and ₂₀₀₉ (Fig. ₁). One or two wild

monitored to collect data on population parameters andstorks visited Japan from the mainland mainly every

movements by direct observation and satellite tracking.

autumn. Thirty four birds were at least identiﬁed by pat-

The records of wild storks visiting Japan from the main-

terns of plumage, of which seven birds were recorded toland between ₂₀₀₀ and ₂₀₀₉ were collected.

stay within Japan more than one year (Ohsako andMitsuhashi ₂₀₁₀, ₂₀₁₁).

₁. Increase of Toyooka population

A total of ₂₇ birds were released into the wild between
₂₀₀₅ and ₂₀₁₀, of which three birds died (a trafﬁc acci-dent, electrocution and starvation), and four birds weretaken back into captivity for various reasons (failure tolive in the wild, avoiding inbreeding of the released birds,injury). Nineteen birds excluding a missing one were living in the wild mainly in Toyooka area in ₂₀₁₀.
A total of nine adult birds left Toyooka area after release
until ₂₀₁₀. One of them travelled more than ₅₃₀km andanother was travelling for ₄₉ days. However, every stork
returned back to Toyooka area except a missing bird. Thisperhaps indicates that the natal area is deﬁned in thestork＇s brain but the area in which they ﬂedged, and fol-Fig. ₁. Stopover and staging sites of wild storks visiting Japan
from the Far Eastern mainland between ₂₀₀₀ and ₂₀₀₉ (modiﬁed
after Ohsako and Mitsuhashi ₂₀₁₀, ₂₀₁₁).

lowing widespread dispersal, storks return to the natal
area to breed.

The wild storks visited Toyooka area in ₂₀₀₂ and ₂₀₀₅,

Pairs have been formed since ₂₀₀₆ and seven pairs hadof which one bird (male) built his nests by himself fromtheir own home ranges in Toyooka area in ₂₀₁₀. The ﬁrst

₂₀₀₃ to ₂₀₀₆ and died in ₂₀₀₇, and another bird (female)pair started breeding in ₂₀₀₆ and the second pair reared

started breeding with a released one in ₂₀₀₉ and raised up

one young successfully in ₂₀₀₇. The averages of ﬂedging

two chicks in ₂₀₁₀. Such cases are expected to occur also

success and mortality of the stork population were ₅.₄

in the future which will increase genetic exchange

birds/year and ₁.₈ birds/year respectively, so the popula-

between the Japanese reintroduced population and main-tion was growing, reaching to ₄₁ birds in ₂₀₁₀.

land wild population.

82

Yoshito Ohsako: International cooperative strategy for the stork conservation

Basic functions of the Hyogo Park of the Oriental
White Stork

storks once native to Japan. Those birds never reproduced. Captive stock that originated from the mainland
was imported and in ₁₉₈₉ these storks bred for the ﬁrst

Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork (HPOWS) wastime in captivity at HPOWS. Since ₂₀₀₅ we have contin-opened in ₁₉₉₉ as a center of aviculture, research andued to release and manage the storks for reintroduction.

education (Fig. ₂) (Committee for the reintroduction of

From our many years of efforts with many failures but

the Oriental White Stork ₂₀₀₃).

some successes, we have learned a great deal about theOriental White Stork, and we are eager to share suchinformation with colleagues in other areas of Japan and in
the other range nations of the storks.

Metapopulation dynamics of the Oriental White
Stork
There are breeding grounds of the storks in Far Eastern
Russia and northeastern China and wintering grounds ofthe storks in southeastern China, Japan and South Korea
Fig. ₂. Basic functions of Hyogo Park of the Oriental White
Stork, Japan (after Committee for the reintroduction of theOriental White Stork ₂₀₀₃).

(Fig. ₃) (BirdLife International ₂₀₀₀). The breeding populations existed both in Japan and South Korea in the past(Hancock et al. ₁₉₉₂). The mainland population of theThe ﬁrst function, aviculture is the practice of keeping

storks migrates between Russia and China. On the otherand breeding birds. The endangered storks were preserved

hand, around ₂₀₀₀, some storks started breeding on thein captivity for artiﬁcial propagation and management ofwintering ground in China (Anqing Forest Bureau ₂₀₀₁;

the genetic diversity through aviculture. Furthermore, theWang et al. ₂₀₀₂; Ji and Wu ₂₀₀₄; Yang et al. ₂₀₀₇). Therecaptive storks were acclimated and trained for living in

is now a non-migratory population and a migratory popu-

the wild, and were quarantined for health check before

lation in China. Non-migratory populations will be rees-

being released to the wild. The released storks that weretablished both in Japan and South Korea.

wounded or in trouble were captured for inspection andtreatment in captivity.

Each of breeding populations in northeastern China,
Japan and South Korea was considered as a local popula-

The second function, research focuses on approaches oftion that had a tendency to immobilize the genetic diver-keeping and breeding in captivity, releasing, monitoringsity. Immigration of the storks from the biggest popula-and managing in the wild, landscape analyzes for habitattion in Russia might enhance genetic diversity within theimprovement and socio-economic or legal analyzes forregional development. The revised tactics based on themonitoring results were applied to manage the habitat andto promote regional development.
The third function, education focuses on public awareness for creating an environment where the humans coexist with the storks. Educational programs and teachingmaterials, and interpreting technique on conservation ofecosystem and species diversity, the reintroduction ofendangered species, and sustainable development wereimproved to deepen understanding of citizens and students.
Since ₁₉₆₅, HPOWS has maintained the last of theFig. ₃. Metapopulation dynamics of the Oriental White Stork in
the Far East (modiﬁed after BirdLife International ₂₀₀₀).
83

Reintroduction（2011）1:81 – 85

patchy populations in the past. Such distribution pattern

for examples pesticide, pollution, human disturbance,

is called ＇metapopulation＇. The metapopulation dynamics

poaching and overﬁshing.

might keep and drive evolution of the Oriental WhiteTo establish local populations, there are two methods;

Stork before extinction of the stork population in Japani) reintroduction and ii) supplementation. The formerand South Korea. The whole conservation of the Oriental

method was applied in areas where the storks became

White Storks depended on the sustainability of each pop-extinct and the latter method was applied in areas whereulation. We should restore such population dynamics tothe population was facing a rapid decline (Soorae ₂₀₁₀).

prevent decrease and extinction of the storks.

It is possible to revive or reinforce the stork populations
by conducting reintroduction in Japan and South Korea,

Establishing international cooperative strategy forthe conservation of Oriental White Storks

and by conducting supplementation in areas of Russia andChina from which storks have been extirpated.
A reintroduction project requires a multidisciplinary

For conservation of the endangered species, there areapproach involving a team of persons drawn from a vari-

two methods; i) in-situ or on-site conservation where theety of backgrounds. As well as government personnel,

conservation is implemented within the natural habitats

they may include persons from governmental naturaland ii) ex-situ or off-site conservation where conservation

resource management agencies; non-governmental orga-

is implemented outside of the natural habitats (Primacknizations; funding bodies; universities; veterinary institu-₂₀₀₄). Both of the measures are necessary for conserva-tions; zoos (and private animal breeders) and/or botanic

tion of the endangered storks. Habitat management, habi-gardens, with a full range of suitable expertise (IUCN

tat restoration and reservoir establishment are useful as₁₉₉₈). Hyogo Prefecture of Japan plays a part in conserva-

tactics of in-situ conservation. Captive breeding andtion of worldwide Oriental White Storks through the rein-

genetic management are useful as tactics of ex-situ con-troduction project. Furthermore, we will promote coop-servation.

eration not only with the zoos and facilities for breeding

For decreasing rate of extinction of Oriental Whiteand conservation of the storks within Japan but also withStorks, reestablishment of the breeding populations, con-such organizations in Russia, China and South Korea

servation of ﬂyway sites and conservation of the winter-

where wild populations of the storks are distributed.

ing populations are needed (Fig. ₄). Reestablishment of

The storks do not see international boundaries. There-

the breeding populations is achieved by translocation offore, it is important for colleagues in the four range states

the storks, for example by reintroduction and supplemen-

to work together to assure a safe future for this magniﬁ-tation. Conservation of ﬂyway sites covers many coun-cent bird. To facilitate and promote the international coop-tries along the path of stork migration routes. Conserva-erative strategy, we need to exchange information andtion of the wintering populations is achieved by habitat

studies, and exchange aviculturists and researchers among

management and improvement, and removing any threats,

Russia, China, South Korea and Japan (Fig. ₄).
Acknowledgements
Dr. George Archibald read my paper and corrected English with biological suggestions. I am very grateful to him
for his help and advise.

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Fig. ₄. Establishing an international cooperative strategy for conservation of Oriental White Storks in Northeast Asia.
84

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北東アジアにおけるコウノトリの保全のための国際連携の確立に向けて* 大迫義人1
₁

兵庫県立コウノトリの郷公園／兵庫県立大学自然・環境科学研究所
₆₆₈-₀₈₁₄

兵庫県豊岡市祥雲寺₁₂₈* E-mail:
コウノトリの現状と保全方針は，その種の分布するロシア，中国，韓国，日本において異なっている．協力関係を通してより効果的に本種を保護するには，私たちは情報交換のために効果的な国際ネットワークを確立することが必要である．本種の再導入計画は，日本の兵庫県豊岡市で₂₀₀₅年に開始され，その後，この豊岡個体群は，年平均₁.₈羽が死亡するものの年平均₅.₄羽の割合で増加している．野外で巣立った若鳥のほとんどは豊岡市を離れても戻ってきたが， ₂ ， ₃ 羽の個体は戻らないで豊岡市以外の場所に留まっている．大陸から ₂ 羽の野生個体が豊岡市に飛来し繁殖を試みたことがある．この移入は，日本の再導入個体群と大陸の野生個体群の遺伝的交流を促進することになる．兵庫県では，コウノトリの郷公園が，本種の保護増殖と再導入計画のセンターとして設置され，飼育・繁殖，研究と普及啓発の ₃ つの基本機能を有している．₂₀₁₀年までの試験放鳥で，コウノト
リの郷公園は多くの成功と失敗を行なってきた．これらの知識と技術は，日本国内および他国での本種の保全と導入の計画に役立てることができるであろう．日本と韓国の在来個体群はともに減少し最後は絶滅したため，両個体群の間で遺伝的交流はほとんどなく，また，近親交配により遺伝的に劣化したと推定される．しかし，ロシアの繁殖個体群を導入したことで，日本と韓国の再導入個体群の遺伝的多様性を促進することができると考えられる．コウノトリに関する情報と研究および鳥類飼育技術者と研究者の交流を継続するためには，北東アジアの分布国の間で本種の国際保全計画を策定・実施することが必要である．
キーワード

コウノトリ，北東アジア，国際連携，保全，情報と研究，鳥類飼育技術者と研究者(Accepted: September ₁₄, ₂₀₁₁)85