Modern phoenix: The bird brought back from extinction in Japan

Starting his car under star-dotted skies unpolluted by light, he works alone in the pre-dawn chill, marking sightings or absences in a planner, interrupted only by the crackle of a walkie-talkie.

Her death meant not a single wild-born toki was left in Japan, despite the bird being so synonymous with the country that it is also known as the Japanese crested ibis."I knew the day was coming. She was very old and frail," Tsuchiya said."But it was still a real pity." A small population of toki were found in China and a successful breeding programme allowed the birds to be reintroduced to SadoThat changed in the Meiji era and as guns became more available. Toki meat was believed to have health benefits, and its feathers were favoured for everything from dusters to decorative flourishes on hats.

Officials initially struggled to persuade Sado farmers to switch to environmentally friendly fertilisersToki feed primarily in rice paddies that mimic marshy wetland habitats and they are undiscriminating diners, eating everything from insects to small crabs and frogs. You You and Yang Yang arrived the following year on first-class seats, producing their first chick months later in an event that led national television broadcasts.

He still runs his own business, though the toki feather tucked into his car's folding mirror makes clear where his heart lies.

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