The forests on the island of Hawaii once rang with the cacophonous — sometimes almost human-sounding — cries, screams and yells of the Hawaiian crow, or ‘alala.

Though once abundant, over time the sounds subsided as habitat loss, predation by invasive species and disease caused sharp declines in ‘alala numbers, leading to its placement on the endangered species list.

Eventually, the birds disappeared from the wild. With them went not only important ecological functions, such as seed dispersal, but also an important cultural symbol for the people of Hawaii. For a time, it seemed as if the distinctive calls from the Hawaiian crow would be forever gone from Hawaiian forests. That is a fate that has already befallen many other native species in Hawaii, the state with more endangered species than any other.

Thanks to collaborative partnerships and captive breeding of Hawaiian crows that began in the 1970s, however, the ‘alala may escape that fate. The ‘alala, which had been extinct in the wild since 2002, is preserved in captive breeding facilities at the Keauhou and Maui Bird Conservation Centers managed by San Diego Zoo Global. There are more than 100 ‘alala at the centers.

Much has been learned about the ‘alala since it was brought into captivity, including a rare skill in the avian community: tool use. The birds use twigs to extract food from hard to reach places, placing them in the company of other famed tool-users such as chimpanzees. This relatively recent discovery shows the importance and power of endangered species conservation in the advancement of our understanding of nature.

After decades of work, research, and planning by a team of scientists and landowners, five young male Hawaiian crows were released into the wild at Pu‘u Maka‘ala Natural Area Reserve on Hawaii island on Dec. 14.

Once released, the birds appeared curious about their surroundings and began searching for food in the forests.

Five young female ‘alala will be released in early 2017 to join the males. The ‘alala are fitted with radio-transmitters. Biologists are tracking their movements throughout the forests and monitoring their survival.

The Pu‘u Maka‘ala Natural Area Reserve is a state reserve that is managed to promote native forest and has a dense understory with ample food to provide ‘alala with a safe place to return after its absence. The reserve has been undergoing extensive management for decades. The Alala Working Group, which consists of state and federal agencies, and local and national nonprofit groups and conservation organizations, plans to release more ‘alala into the wild in the coming years, with the ultimate goal of establishing a free-living population in the wild and full recovery.

The conservation of Hawaiian crows has been a huge undertaking that goes beyond any one group. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, San Diego Zoo Global, and other partners worked in close collaboration to get this species to where we are now. With continued hard work and collaboration, the sounds of the ‘alala will return to Hawaii’s forests.

Michael Bean is the principal deputy assistant secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks at the U.S. Department of the Interior.