This majestic creature, the Oriental White Stork, dances through the skies once again.

The Oriental White Stork, commonly known as ‘kounotori’ in Japan, is a large stork that is at the apex of the wetland food chain. They are carnivorous and feed on small creatures such as fish, frogs, snakes, and grasshoppers. They are large feeders and eat approximately 500g per day in captivity.

Due to excessive pesticide usage during and after World War II, many of the Oriental White Stork’s feeding grounds, the rice fields, became difficult places to find food.

The stork’s numbers dwindled over the decades, and in 1971, the last stork disappeared from Japan’s skies in Toyooka City.

To save the Oriental White Stork from complete extinction, we first had to capture the last remaining ones and raise them in captivity.

When we did, we made a promise to them “We will, one day, bring you back to the wild.” In order to fulfill our promise we are taking every step possible to ensure their return to the wild will be successful.

In 1971, the last wild Oriental White Stork disappeared from the skies of Japan. Toyooka City in Hyogo Prefecture created a breeding and research facility to begin breeding and raising them in captivity. In 2005, they were successfully reintroduced into the wild for the first time. Currently, about 350 Oriental White Storks fly grandly in the skies of Toyooka. We continue to preserve their habitat.

This Toyooka City project to reintroduce the Oriental White Storks to the wild is a unique and notable task with international recognition.
The countless hours, great efforts and expenditure put into the revival of the Oriental White Stork by Toyooka City has brought these once extinct storks back to live in coexistence with humans in a place they once inhabited.

A supportive environment is essential for the Oriental White Stork to be successful in the wild. They are at the top of Japan’s natural ecosystem food chain, so their environment must support the animals they feed on as well. Ideal locations are undeveloped wetlands near populated areas, rice paddies, rivers, and waterways.

Along with a supportive natural environment, it is also necessary to have a strong cultural environment conducive to the Oriental White Stork. Human lifestyles were a notable factor that contributed to the near extinction of the species in the past.

In Toyooka, work has been done to preserve and create an optimal wetland environment for their permanent habitat. There are currently more than 6 of these habitats in Toyooka. They include Hachigoro Toshima Wetland, Kaya Wetland, the Maruyama River, Tai Wetland, the Rice Paddy Biotope, Lower Maruyama River, and surrounding rice paddies.

Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork

A research institute opened in 1999 in Toyooka City and is dedicated to the restoration of the Oriental White Stork. At the park’s open cage you can see Oriental White Storks that have been bred and raised in captivity. Entrance to the park is free.

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Hachigoro Toshima Wetland

Hachigoro Toshima Wetland is a maintained wetland named after the wild Oriental White Stork from mainland China called “Hachigoro” that likes to call this wetland home. Chicks have continuously hatched in the artificial nesting tower set in the wetland since 2008.

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The number of Oriental White Storks worldwide is estimated to be about 3,000.

We continue to pursue the conservation, restoration and establishment of environments, like the ones above, in which they can survive and thrive.

We are also fulfilling our duty to the international conservation of species as the last habitat in Japan for the Oriental White Stork.