Rare ibis China gave Japan last year lays first egg, expected to hatch in April
- The egg was laid by Guan Guan, one of two birds Beijing gave Tokyo to commemorate the 40th anniversary of their peace and friendship treaty
A rare ibis given by China to Japan as a symbol of friendship last year has laid an egg for the first time, a local government said Sunday.
The egg laid by Guan Guan, one of a pair given by Beijing in October 2018, at the Sado Japanese Crested Ibis Conservation Centre is expected to hatch in mid-April if all goes smoothly.
The female ibis arrived at the facility in Niigata Prefecture with the male Lou Lou on the 40th anniversary of the two countries’ peace and friendship treaty.
The offering by China of the internationally protected species to Japan was the first since 2007, after years of sour ties between the two countries over territorial and wartime issues.
A worker at the conservation centre noticed the egg on a video monitor on Saturday and later confirmed it was laid before 5pm the same day, according to the facility.
