In the months following the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake, just as people in disaster-hit regions have been struggling to get back on their feet, many wild animals have also had to overcome having their habitats destroyed as well.
In the months following the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake, just as people in disaster-hit regions have been struggling to get back on their feet, many wild animals have also had to overcome having their habitats destroyed as well.
In the coastal area of Kuji, Iwate Prefecture, two young osprey chicks made their first flight from their nest in late July, only four months after a devastating tsunami following the quake washed away their home.
Their everyday fight for survival was closely watched by Etsuo Murakami, 60, a local wild bird enthusiast, who regularly took pictures of them. Murakami was glad to see the young birds strike out on their own, saying they did a great job in overcoming adversity.
Their nest, made firmly of branches, sits on a rock jutting out of the water, located more than 10 meters above sea level.
On March 13, two days after the temblor hit the region, Murakami saw parent birds huddled together in their ruined nest. He said like humans, they appeared to be engulfed by the stark reality facing them.
After repairing their nest, the female bird laid eggs in May, Murakami said. He saw the parent birds feed their children in June. With their wings spread wide, the young birds flew out of the nest on July 22 and July 24, slightly later than their usual departure in early July.
Murakami said he was encouraged and given new hope when seeing them leave their nest.