Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork

Graduate School of Regional Resource Management, University of Hyogo

About Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork

Basic Functions

The Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork has the following basic functions:


  1. Species Preservation and Genetic Management
    Through captive breeding and genetic management, we preserve the once-extinct population of Oriental White Stork by raising them and releasing suitable ones into the wild to maintain and sustain a native population in the wild.

    • Management system of captive storks
      A daily log of stork raising is recorded in a database
    • Improvement of pair formation techniques
      Storks from different pedigree are paired
    • Genetic analysis
      Genetic information of individuals is analyzed
    • Stork exchanges with other institutions in and outside Japan
      To introduce new familyline for breeding
  2. Science and Implementation of Reintroduction
    In accordance with the Grand Design for Reintroduction of the Oriental White Stork that outlines short-term and mid-term targets for reviving stork populations in the wild, we proceed with the science and implementation of reintroducing storks into the wild.

    1. Short-term Target: Establishment of a stable and genuinely wild population and its management
      1. Maintenance of the stork populations in Toyooka Basin and captive population
      2. Gradual escape from artificial feeding
      3. Appropriate arrangement of territories
      4. Expanding from the Toyooka region population to the Tajima District population
      5. Joint research for establishment of breeding populations outside Hyogo Prefecture
      6. Sustainable human resource development
      7. Creation of a system of wisdom for community development
      8. Promotion of consensus building
    2. Mid-term Target: Establishment of a domestic meta-population structure of storks
      1. Establishment of domestic meta-population
      2. Promotion of potential habitat analysis
    3. Goal of Reintroduction
      1. Establishment of a stable meta-population structure
      2. Realization of a sustainable local community that co-exist with the Oriental White Stork
      3. Oriental White Stork to become a common species