XI'AN, April 6 -- Shaanxi Hanzhong Crested Ibis National Nature Reserve in northwest China announced that it successfully incubated a crested ibis, the first of the year, on Friday.

The chick weighed 54.1 grams and was in healthy condition, the reserve said, adding that a second one followed on Saturday, also meeting standard weight metrics.

March to June marks the breeding season for crested ibises, and the reserve's breeding center continues to combine natural brooding with artificial incubation to ensure successful reproduction.

Known as the "oriental gem," the crested ibis is a critically endangered species. In 1981, only seven wild individuals were discovered in Shaanxi. Over four decades of dedicated conservation, the global population has now surpassed 10,000.