Residents from the evacuation zone around the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant have returned to their homes to find out-of-control weeds, lingering disaster damage and even signs of theft. But a few startled evacuees have also discovered ostriches on the loose on their properties.
Residents from the evacuation zone around the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant have returned to their homes to find out-of-control weeds, lingering disaster damage and even signs of theft. But a few startled evacuees have also discovered ostriches on the loose on their properties.
“I was scared to see one standing in front of my home,” said one person.
After the March 11 earthquake struck, 10 or so of the birds escaped from an ostrich ranch in Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture.
The agriculture ministry and other groups are now helping with an “ostrich capture operation” in the evacuation zone. On Jan. 12 and 13, they captured four of the birds, bringing the total number of ostriches rounded up since the end of last year to six.
The ostrich ranch’s boss, Toshiaki Tomizawa, 73, told The Asahi Shimbun that danger exists in the capture operations.
One time, the team faced a 2-meter-tall female ostrich standing calmly on a road in the town of Namie in front of Namie Junior High School’s schoolyard.
Tomizawa barked orders to the tense team members: “Don’t get in front of it. You’ll get kicked” and “Hold down its neck, fast!”
He said a kick from an ostrich can break two or three ribs.
Ostriches do not kick to the rear, so the teams, typically each consisting of three people, usually circle around behind the animals. One member grabs the ostrich’s neck and pushes it to the ground while another holds down the wings. The remaining member covers the bird’s head with a sack because ostriches calm down quickly when they think night has arrived.
Around 20 people have been involved in the operations so far.
Witnesses guide the capture teams to the birds’ locations.
Acting on the latest information from the prefectural police, the teams patrol in cars to search for the ostriches in the evacuation zone stretching from Minami-Soma to Tomioka.
Ostriches instinctively stay in open areas that offer them a wide field of vision so they can quickly spot predators. This is likely the reason why many have been seen in rice fields, schoolyards and roads with clear views of the surrounding area.
Two ostriches were captured in December and early January, and a total of six have been returned to the ranch. The ranch relies on workers at the Fukushima No. 1 plant, about 6 kilometers away, to feed the birds two or three times a week. The ostriches will reportedly be used in future university research to investigate the effects of radiation.
Tomizawa opened the ostrich ranch in 2001 to attract tourists, and he sells bags and belts made from the birds’ skin.
He has also opened an ostrich cuisine cafeteria and expanded his stock of birds from his initial nine to 30. However, he had to leave the ostriches behind when he evacuated to his daughter’s house in Saitama Prefecture after the nuclear accident started. When he returned around three months later, more than half the birds were dead.
Others died thereafter, and 10 or so appear to have escaped through a broken fence. Now, there are only two or three left to capture.
“If anyone sees or hears of an escaped ostrich, then I’d like them to contact the police or agriculture ministry,” Tomizawa said.
Two ostriches were captured back in October, but they again escaped from the ranch, perhaps with the help of someone worried that the birds would starve.
“Feeding arrangements have been made, so there is no risk of them starving. Please leave the birds alone, as it will be dangerous for them off the ranch when the recovery effort proceeds enough to allow for heavier road traffic,” an agriculture ministry official said.