hello all,

i thought you might be interested to read this obituary.

Devorah A. N. Bennu, PhD
email:nyneve at amnh.org or nyneve at myUW.net work page
http://research.amnh.org/ornithology/personnel/bennu.htm personal pages
http://research.amnh.org/users/nyneve/
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Subject: [Fwd: Last native crested ibis dies in Japan]


Last native crested ibis dies in Japan
TOKYO (AFP) Oct 10, 2003
http://www.terradaily.com/2003/031010085928.7nudhet2.html

The last wild crested ibis born in Japan died of suspected old age on
Friday, officials said.

Kin, a female whose age was estimated at 36 years, equivalent to over 100
years for humans, was believed to be the world's oldest crested ibis, known
scientifically as "Nipponia Nippon," or Japanese crested ibis.

The bird was found dead at 7:20 am (2220 GMT) at a breeding centre in Sado
island, Niigata prefecture, where it had been raised since it was captured
in 1968, officials said.

With its death, Japan now has 39 ibises sent from China at a breeding
centre which aims to re-establish a viable population in the wild.
Midori, the last male bird which could have perpetuated a fully Japanese
bloodline, died in 1995.

"The bird has been symbolic. We lost something very significant," said
Takeshi Kobayashi, an official of the prefecture's natural reservation
office.

The prefecture is considering a ceremony to honor Kin, which may be stuffed
after a postmortem, the official said.

Toki, as the birds are commonly known in Japan, have a distinctive white
crest of feathers and a red face with a long, gracefully curving black beak.
The endangered species, designated internationally as a protected bird, was
brought to the verge of extinction in Japan due to hunting and environmental
changes.

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