The First Report on the Death of an Oriental White Stork from the Japanese Reintroduced Population Caused by the Accidental Ingestion of an Artificial Material

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine Vol. 24; no. 4; pp. 169 - 173
• Main Authors: FUNAKOSHI, Minoru, MATSUMOTO, Rei, EZAKI, Yasuo, SAGAWA, Shiro, OHSAKO, Yoshito
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japanese Society of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 20.12.2019
• Subjects: accidental ingestion; oriental white stork; reintroduction
• ISSN: 1342-6133; 2185-744X
• DOI: 10.5686/jjzwm.24.169

An oriental white stork (Ciconia boyciana), which had been rescued after hatching in a nest on an electric pole in Shimane Prefecture, was released after hand rearing at Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork. However, the bird was found dead after 27 days in Tottori Prefecture. Necropsy revealed three pieces of foam rubber (840 mm in total length) in the bird’s gizzard. This finding suggested that the bird was weakened and died because of the lack of digestion and absorption of food owing to the accidental ingestion of foam rubber. This is the first report of accidental ingestion of an artificial material causing death in the reintroduced population of oriental white storks in Japan.