TOKYO, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Female crested ibis Yang Yang gifted by China has died in the Japanese prefecture of Niigata, the Japanese environment ministry said.

Yang Yang, housed at the Sado Japanese Crested Ibis Conservation Center, died on Thursday morning, the Niigata prefectural government cited a statement released by the Ministry of the Environment on Friday.

She died at the age of 27, equivalent to over 80 years old for humans.

The crested ibis, which originated from northwest China's Shaanxi province, had previously injured her leg due to being startled by thunder, leading to difficulties in standing and eating.

The statement suggested that the bird died due to physical weakness on Friday, although veterinarians provided treatment and fed her earlier during the week.

Yang Yang played a crucial role in the reintroduction of crested ibises into the wild in Japan, the Niigata prefectural government said on its website.

In the future, the prefecture, in collaboration with the Japanese environment ministry and the Sado Japanese Crested Ibis Conservation Center, will continue to work toward the wild reintroduction of crested ibises, it added.

In January 1999, Yang Yang and You You, the first pair of crested ibises gifted by China to Japan, arrived at Sado island off Niigata. Over the years, they played a significant role in saving and reestablishing the endangered crested ibis population in Japan.

As per Niigata's prefectural environment bureau, there are currently 550 wild crested ibises in the prefecture. In 2019, Japan lowered the status of the birds from "extinction in the wild" to "critically endangered." Enditem

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