TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Beginning four years ago, local hunters were commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture to eliminate the African sacred ibis, though the last remaining adult birds have proved elusive.

Taiwan’s African sacred ibis population began with just six birds escaping an enclosure at the Leofoo Village Theme Park in 1979. Soon, they began breeding freely, with the wild population exploding to 8,000, per UDN.

With a black pointed beak similar to a scythe, the sacred ibis has no natural predators in Taiwan, allowing it to spread quickly amongst coastal and inland low-altitude mountainous areas.

Birdwatchers lured to wetland areas by the arrival of winter migratory birds have seen many sacred ibis intermingling with protected migratory species like black-faced spoonbills.

The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency Chiayi Branch said that it has been actively hunting African sacred ibises since 2019, and a total of 3,635 ibises have been removed so far. The largest number of sacred ibises taken in a single year was 2,100 in 2000. Only 10 have been eliminated so far this year.

The declining numbers of African sacred ibis show the eradication plan is working, though the remaining few have been difficult to track and kill. To help, local birdwatching groups have been recruited to report their presence through an eBird Taiwan online platform.

After receiving sighting reports, the Chiayi County Tsou Hunters’ Association searches for the birds in the reported locations. Hunters then come to remove the birds, typically early in the morning when sacred ibis are less alert, and are compensated NT$2,000 (US$64) for each adult bird by authorities.

Nearly all African sacred ibis will need to be removed from the wild in Taiwan to ensure they no longer put pressure on endemic bird species through nesting patterns and an omnivorous diet.