XI'AN -- A total of 28 crested ibis chicks have been relocated to a nature reserve in Northwest China's Shaanxi province since June, local authorities said.

Since June, the Hanzhong Crested Ibis National Nature Reserve has rescued 66 sick or injured wild ibis, including 60 ibis chicks, in several counties in Shaanxi, the rare bird's main habitat in China.

To ensure the safety of the ibis chicks, which are under national protection, the nature reserve has taken multiple measures to improve their habitat environment.

The population of the endangered bird species, once believed to be extinct in China, has been growing in recent years thanks to decades of conservation.

Currently, about 2,500 crested ibis live in Shaanxi. Their habitat stretches around 14,000 square kilometers.