History and Current Status of Black-faced Spoonbill Conservation

History and Current Status of Black-faced Spoonbill Conservation

May 1996

In 1996, Asian countries including Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, North Korea, Hong Kong, and Vietnam began working together to protect the black-faced spoonbill, a rare migratory bird for which only about 550 birds had been identified worldwide. The meeting in Beijing in early May agreed to promote data collection for the discovery and protection of new breeding and wintering grounds. This effort is a landmark cooperation that transcends the East-West camps and underscored the importance of ecosystem conservation and international cooperation.

2000s

In the 2000s, the black-faced spoonbill population showed an increasing trend: approximately 660 birds were identified in 2000, 1,500 in 2005, and 2,400 in 2010. However, from December 2002 to January of the following year, a botulism outbreak occurred in Taiwan, the largest wintering ground of the species, resulting in the poisoning and death of 73 birds. Such mass mortality could lead to the extinction of the species, and the importance of conservation activities in each country was reaffirmed.

2010s

In the 2010s, the population continued to increase: a global population survey in 2012 confirmed 2,693 birds worldwide, including 1,562 in Taiwan and 283 in Japan. In Japan, about 200 birds fly to Hakata Bay in northern Kyushu every year, and about 50 of them spend the winter around Hakata Bay. As of 2017, the population is on the rise, but there are concerns about habitat destruction and pesticide poisoning.

2020s

In the 2020 global population survey, 4,864 birds were observed worldwide, an increase of 401 birds from the previous year. In Taiwan, in particular, 2,785 birds were observed, an increase of 378 birds from the previous year. In Japan, 544 birds were confirmed in 2020, an increase of 6 birds from the previous year. Their main wintering grounds are in Kyushu, where 226 birds were observed in Kumamoto Prefecture, 89 in Fukuoka Prefecture, 78 in Saga Prefecture, 69 in Kagoshima Prefecture, and 31 in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Progress of Conservation Activities

In Japan, the NPO Wild Bird Yamaguchi has established the "Black-faced Spoonbills Protection and Rehabilitation Center" in the Yamaguchi Prefectural Kirara-hama Nature Park to protect and rehabilitate injured individuals. In addition, with a grant from the Suntory World Bird Trust Fund, they are working to establish protection and rehabilitation facilities and create breeding grounds. Furthermore, in Taiwan's Taijiang National Park, ecologically conscious habitat promotion work is being carried out, contributing to an increase in the population of the black-faced spoonbill.

Challenges and Prospects

Since the start of conservation cooperation in 1996, efforts in each country have been successful and the population has been on the increase. However, the importance of environmental conservation of habitats and sustainable conservation activities remains high, and international cooperation must be further strengthened in the future. In particular, countries need to cooperate in taking measures to address issues such as habitat destruction and environmental pollution caused by development.