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More than 1,000 cattle running wild in Fukushima radiation zone

31 Comments

The Fukushima prefectural government said Friday that at least 1,000 cattle have escaped the confines of their farm homesteads within the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and have likely gone feral.

Just prior to the March 11 disaster, the prefecture counted a total of 3,500 cattle, 30,000 pigs, and 440,000 chickens inside of what is now the exclusion zone. Since the accident, prefectural authorities said they had euthanized 59 cattle, 2,996 pigs and 367 chickens the permission of farm owners as of Aug 31.

Additionally, according to a report on NHK, the vast majority of the rest of the pigs and chickens within the exclusion zone have died of natural causes – mostly by starvation. Authorities have yet to locate the bodies of any cattle, however, leading them to conclude that most of them are running wild.

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31 Comments
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How cute! Feral cattle. Attack of the feral cattle.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Additionally, according to a report on NHK, the vast majority of the rest of the pigs and chickens within the exclusion zone have died of natural causes – mostly by starvation.

So the remaining 27,000 pigs and 439,000 odd chickens died of natural causes did they? Since when has been left to starve to death in a tiny cage anything remotely natural. Another example of the caring nature of the Japanese when it comes to animals.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

"farm homestead". This is a sick aspect of Japanese culture, Asian culture and many parts of the world. Putting thinking, feeling mammals in cages, crowded and separated from their friends and family, feeding them disgusting food full of hormones and antibiotics and fattening agents is a crime in it's self. To leave them to starve is a crime. It is very suspicious that these highly iradiated animals are missing, and if my fears are right and they have been butchered and sold with mislabeling to families in Japan, attempted murder charges should be laid if proof can be found.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Might as well turn the whole area into a " natural preserve ", would be interesting to see what happens 20 yrs from now. " formerly "domesticated pigs breeding with wild pigs with a dose of radiation..............wow

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Someone needs to distribute to the government copies of Alan Weisman's "The World Without Us", which looks into what might happen when man-made structures, environments, industries, and communities are abandoned (for one reason or another). It's available in Japanese, too!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

There's a movie script in there somewhere: "Beware! The attack of the radioactive zombie wagyu!!!"

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Too bad Fukashima is not in Iga or we'll have radioactive ninjas .............talking about movie script !!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If indeed this number of cattle have gone feral they will instinctiveley organise themselves into herds. They are a nomadic creature by nature, so it is unlikely that they will restrict themselves in the boundaries of the restricted zone.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Great. We're all going to be attacked by feral radioactive cattle. What next? Mothra?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Cowzilla is coming!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

I see japan is doing her best to cover up not just the disaster but the whole irresponsible mistreatment of the nuclear disaster, yet it seems not everything can be hidden from the world's eyes. Thanks JT . Can't even imagine what can go on there and what is awaiting us as the contamination spreads . Now 1000 carrier who will be consumed for sure soon, ............or as Disillusioned put it.

DisillusionedSep. 03, 2011 - 08:03PM JST

Funny, yet tragically true considering the next generations of cows or not just cows being born with cute genetic mutation. I always like your posts, you capable to hit the nail on the head and make a point in short posts.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

" prefectural authorities said they had euthanized 59 cattle, 2,996 pigs and 367 chickens "

That is pathetic! And the caged animals that starved to death did of course not "die of natural causes". Since when is being locked up without food a "natural cause". The authorities should either have killed all livestock, or let it run wild.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I find it hard to believe there are this many feral animals running about but they have yet to actually find/see one, and that they haven't found any bodies any where. I agree with an above poster -- in all likelihood they were butchered and sold under false labelling.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

there are a lot more then 1,000 running around still. Also, there are tons of pigs, chickens and a few ostriches on the lose

btw, wtf is a feral cow? Pretty sure they will just keep eating grass and not caring.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Gives a new meaning to the term 'free range'.

finding little twins in a cage to sing it

The Peanuts are still alive, they can do it again.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

uzneko -- exactly. 3,500 cattle before the quake minus the 59 they know died is a lot more than 1,000. Typical J-government math.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I would not be too upset about this. It did happend and there is nothing you can change now.

You can use this as a great opportunity for all nuclear medicine studies. You can change a lemon to a lemondade. That's how I see it.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Organic beef? Or is it free range? At last!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I think it's sad that thousands of animals had to die like this - basically because farmers and their lobbyists in Tokyo are so powerful. The government of a civilised country would have shot the lot of them before they died painfully - with no need to get the permission of some geriatric farmers who probably don't even know what is happening. It's what the Soviets did in Chernobyl - and they were not even exactly a free nation but they didn't want the animals to suffer - or have them running wild. Watch the docos on youtube if you don't believe me.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Agree with Smithinjapan - it is highly likely the farmers have sold many of these animals in other prefectures after changing the labeling of the meat.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The Japanese don't even care about their own people so it's no suprise they left untold numbers of animals to suffer and die through starvation, civilised country my arse.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

The math is wrong...what else is wrong? I agree with above all animals should have been euthanized, yes killed in the area. Why 6months latter is this a problem? Ahhh farmers. Public safety, (brown envelope please) Dai ja bu

0 ( +1 / -1 )

If it weren't for all the radiation stuff, that would be the tastiest, free range beef!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I think we should round up all them cattle and give them to the poor people of the DPRK a.k.a. North Korea, they seem to be real hungry over there, I am sure they would know what to do with so much cattle.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Darren Brannan,

I agree that people come first, however how hard would it be to get the military to enter the area and humanely kill the livestock. After all they use the military to assist with the culling of chickens after bird flu outbreaks. As for the legal ramifications what would they be? I would think there would be less anger at a controlled killing of these animals than just letting them starve to death in their pens. This is just one more stuff up that can be attributed to the bumbling morons in power in this country and how they handled this whole disaster.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

those cows and pigs will buy by chain reataurants and selling on sale soon. no waste of any meat. infected with cesium, does not really matter in japan

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I went into the area to rescue animals and saw first hand dead animals, cats and dogs weighing only a few kgs and the animals that still wait beside the road every day waiting for someone to return... 6months later.

I do not care if you think people should come first or not, these animals died in an unimaginable way and there are thousands more slowly suffering out there. Not to mention, thanks to the very limited amount of animals that get fixed in Japan, there are now thousands of babies running around Fukushima, starving and feral.

It makes me cry every damn day to even think about it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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