Crested ibises, designated as the nation's Natural Monument No.198, used to be common nationwide but disappeared from the Korean Peninsula after being last seen in the Demilitarized Zone, which separates the two Koreas, in 1979.

South Korea has been trying to reintroduce the species to the wild since 2008, when a pair of Chinese-born crested ibises were donated by China. In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping donated two male crested ibises to South Korea. Around that time, the Crested Ibis Restoration Center was established near Upo Wetland, a complex of natural wetlands.

The center now has 363 crested ibises in captive breeding.

The environment ministry and Changnyeong County said only 40 crested ibises have been selected for release into the wild to mark their reintroduction here. Their gender and age ratios were also taken into consideration to help maximize their survival rate in the wild, they explained.

Ahead of the release, the authorities have prepared feeding and breeding grounds for crested ibises at Upo Wetland and its surrounding areas to help their successful adaptation.

GPS transmitters were also attached to the departing crested ibises for a closer monitoring of their daily movements, they said. (Yonhap)