Latest news with #NaraDeerPreservationFoundation
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Yahoo
Officials sound alarm as sacred animals face growing threat: 'We want to better understand'
Beloved deer living in a historic Japanese park face growing dangers from litter left behind by tourists. Now, officials are rethinking decades-old waste management policies to protect the culturally significant animals. Located in Nara, Japan, Nara Park spans 1,630 acres and is famed for its free-roaming deer and historic temples. Unfortunately, it's also now noted for a littering problem threatening local deer populations. Nara deer are a protected species considered sacred in the region, according to news outlet Japan 2 Earth. About 1,300 deer call the park home, typically feeding on the park's abundant grass and tree nuts. But six years ago, the nonprofit Nara Deer Preservation Foundation examined 14 Nara deer that died from unknown causes. Nine of the deer had plastic in their stomachs. And the problem has only gotten worse since. "Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of tourists has increased — and so has the amount of litter," officials told Japan 2 Earth. The park removed trash bins in 1985, instead encouraging visitors to take their waste with them. The reason? Deer were rummaging through them and eating the trash. That somewhat unconventional tactic reportedly worked for a few decades — but officials are now bringing the bins back. Respecting Nara deer and their habitat is essential for responsible tourism. All wildlife deserves to live in a clean, litter-free environment — and Nara deer hold special cultural significance as sacred animals. According to Japan 2 Earth, local legend says a deity arrived in Nara riding a white deer. Showing respect toward these animals, then, is a way of honoring and respecting Japanese culture. Access to nature and wildlife is a privilege, especially as development and pollution continue to destroy natural habitats worldwide. When interacting with nature, we should aim to leave an area in the same condition we found it — if not better. One of the most important ways to protect these environments is by properly managing our waste. The advocacy group Leave No Trace advises park and nature visitors to "pack it in, pack it out." Simply put, if you bring it with you, take it with you when you leave. In January, trial waste bins were placed at two locations in Nara Park. The bins were designed to prevent deer from accessing the trash, featuring handles that must be pulled down to place trash inside and a sturdy construction that can't be knocked over. Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely Depends on the animal No way Just let people do it for free Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. To encourage their use, the bins are decorated with statistics detailing Nara Park's waste problem. One bin highlights that 67% of deceased deer in the park were found with plastic in their stomach. Another bin details how one deer was found with 4.3 kilograms — or 9.5 pounds — of plastic in its stomach. During the trial, officials monitored usage of the bins, including what items were discarded and how the bins impacted littering within the park. "We want to better understand what types of waste are being discarded," officials told Japan 2 Earth during the trial. Officials report plastic bottles and paper cups have been the most commonly discarded items. The bins have seemed to work so far, with officials telling The Japan Times they plan to keep them in place — and possibly add more. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Yahoo
The squad saving deer from tourist trash in Japan's Nara
As peckish deer chase delighted tourists in Japan's temple-dotted Nara Park, a quiet but dedicated team of litter-pickers patrols the stone paths, collecting plastic waste that threatens the animals' health. The ancient city of Nara is a major draw for the country's record influx of visitors -- but like in nearby Kyoto, where photo-hungry crowds have been accused of pestering the famous geisha, there have been unwelcome consequences. Tourists are only allowed to feed the deer special rice crackers sold in Nara, but the animals are increasingly eating rubbish by accident. "More and more people are tossing away their leftovers or snack packaging in the park," Nobuyuki Yamazaki of the Nara Deer Preservation Foundation told AFP. "Plastic items can accumulate in deer stomachs over a long period, leading to their death through weakness," he warned. Some activists have even retrieved chunks of plastic waste from Nara deer carcasses. Armed with gloves, tongs and dustpans, the park's litter-picking squad -- called Beautiful Deer -- are fighting back. The team, which mostly employs people with disabilities, has been collaborating with Yamazaki's foundation for several years. Around half a dozen Beautiful Deer staff patrol the park in bright green jackets, unfazed by the excited squeals of holidaymakers surrounded by their hooved friends. For many members, "the idea they're contributing to society is at the core of their motivation", said the squad's supervisor Masahito Kawanishi. - No bins - Around 1,300 wild deer roam the vast park, which has been their home since the eighth century, as the legend goes, acting as divine envoys for a Shinto shrine. Drawn partly by the weak yen, 36.8 million foreign visitors came to Japan last year, a new record that the government wants to almost double to 60 million annually by 2030. But residents and authorities in tourist hotspots, from tradition-steeped Kyoto to towns near the majestic Mount Fuji, are increasingly voicing frustration about overcrowding, traffic violations and bad behaviour by some visitors. Nara Park is no exception -- especially when it comes to litter. The park has no public bins -- a policy introduced about four decades ago to stop deer scavenging in them for food. Visitors are instead encouraged to take their trash home -- an ingrained habit in Japan that is not always shared by people from abroad, Yamazaki said. "It's perhaps difficult to expect the park to remain empty of trash cans forever," he said. With cultural differences in mind, Nara authorities are trialling high-tech, solar-powered bins near the park in a 20-million-yen ($129,000) project. The bins can automatically compress trash and bear the slogan: "Save the Nara deer from plastic waste". Public bins are scarce across Japan, with one theory being that the deadly 1995 subway sarin gas attacks by a doomsday cult caused them to be removed. Gawel Golecki, a 40-year-old from Poland who regularly visits Japan, told AFP he now keeps his trash with him. "It's kind of strange for us," he told AFP. "(In Europe) there is always a place to throw" it. French tourist Arnaud Bielecki, 56, said it's "a shame that the deer eat plastic dropped by visitors", adding that the Beautiful Deer squad should be supported. "I'm glad there's a programme like this," he said. tmo/kaf/dhw
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Yahoo
The squad saving deer from tourist trash in Japan's Nara
As peckish deer chase delighted tourists in Japan's temple-dotted Nara Park, a quiet but dedicated team of litter-pickers patrols the stone paths, collecting plastic waste that threatens the animals' health. The ancient city of Nara is a major draw for the country's record influx of visitors -- but like in nearby Kyoto, where photo-hungry crowds have been accused of pestering the famous geisha, there have been unwelcome consequences. Tourists are only allowed to feed the deer special rice crackers sold in Nara, but the animals are increasingly eating rubbish by accident. "More and more people are tossing away their leftovers or snack packaging in the park," Nobuyuki Yamazaki of the Nara Deer Preservation Foundation told AFP. "Plastic items can accumulate in deer stomachs over a long period, leading to their death through weakness," he warned. Some activists have even retrieved chunks of plastic waste from Nara deer carcasses. Armed with gloves, tongs and dustpans, the park's litter-picking squad -- called Beautiful Deer -- are fighting back. The team, which mostly employs people with disabilities, has been collaborating with Yamazaki's foundation for several years. Around half a dozen Beautiful Deer staff patrol the park in bright green jackets, unfazed by the excited squeals of holidaymakers surrounded by their hooved friends. For many members, "the idea they're contributing to society is at the core of their motivation", said the squad's supervisor Masahito Kawanishi. - No bins - Around 1,300 wild deer roam the vast park, which has been their home since the eighth century, as the legend goes, acting as divine envoys for a Shinto shrine. Drawn partly by the weak yen, 36.8 million foreign visitors came to Japan last year, a new record that the government wants to almost double to 60 million annually by 2030. But residents and authorities in tourist hotspots, from tradition-steeped Kyoto to towns near the majestic Mount Fuji, are increasingly voicing frustration about overcrowding, traffic violations and bad behaviour by some visitors. Nara Park is no exception -- especially when it comes to litter. The park has no public bins -- a policy introduced about four decades ago to stop deer scavenging in them for food. Visitors are instead encouraged to take their trash home -- an ingrained habit in Japan that is not always shared by people from abroad, Yamazaki said. "It's perhaps difficult to expect the park to remain empty of trash cans forever," he said. With cultural differences in mind, Nara authorities are trialling high-tech, solar-powered bins near the park in a 20-million-yen ($129,000) project. The bins can automatically compress trash and bear the slogan: "Save the Nara deer from plastic waste". Public bins are scarce across Japan, with one theory being that the deadly 1995 subway sarin gas attacks by a doomsday cult caused them to be removed. Gawel Golecki, a 40-year-old from Poland who regularly visits Japan, told AFP he now keeps his trash with him. "It's kind of strange for us," he told AFP. "(In Europe) there is always a place to throw" it. French tourist Arnaud Bielecki, 56, said it's "a shame that the deer eat plastic dropped by visitors", adding that the Beautiful Deer squad should be supported. "I'm glad there's a programme like this," he said. tmo/kaf/dhw
