Eight endangered crested ibises were released into the wild in north-central Japan on Sunday, marking a significant milestone in the country’s conservation efforts decades after the species disappeared from the wild.

The birds were released during a ceremony in Hakui City, located in the Noto region, where crested ibises were last seen living naturally. Residents gathered to witness the moment as the birds flew from their wooden cages into the sky after Crown Prince Akishino, Princess Kiko and other officials cut a ceremonial ribbon, AP reported.

Known as ‘Toki’ in Japan, the white birds are native to East Asia and are recognized for their distinctive orange-pink feathers beneath their wings and bright red markings around their eyes.

The eight birds were bred at a conservation center on Sado Island in neighboring Niigata Prefecture as part of a long-running captive-breeding program. Officials say another 10 birds are expected to be released in the future.

According to AP, the species vanished from Japan’s main Honshu Island in the 1970s due to overhunting and environmental degradation, while the last native Japanese crested ibis died on Sado Island in 2003. However, conservation efforts received a major boost in 1999 when a breeding pair donated by China successfully produced the first crested ibis chick born in captivity in Japan.

Since then, breeding and habitat restoration programs have helped rebuild the population. In 2008, the first group of captive-bred birds was released on Sado Island, where the wild population has since grown to around 500 birds.