Nara deer die one after another: autopsy found that the plastic bags in their stomachs were twisted into hard lumps
Deer in Nara eating plastic bags (Kyodo)
Overseas network, July 10, Nara Park is one of Japan's scenic spots, with about 1,200 deer living here. The deer have been designated as a national natural monument by the Japanese government and are also popular with tourists. However, the recent spate of deer deaths in Nara has been blamed on plastic waste such as plastic bags by Japanese media.
"Plastic bag block" found in deer stomach (Kyodo News)
According to Japan's NHK television station on the 10th, Nara Park deer protection group "Nara deer Protection Association" said that since March 2019, a total of 14 deer died, nine of which were found in the stomach plastic bags and other plastic waste. The plastic bags and snack bags have been twisted into chunks, with the largest "block" weighing 4.3 kg. Three of the deaths were directly caused by the plastic waste, officials said.
According to the Asahi Shimbun, a Nara deer that died in April had a plastic bag weighing 3.2 kg in its abdomen, which was a hard lump formed by the plastic bag. The autopsy veterinarian said that the deer may have been aging due to old age, but the body was very thin and the hair was not shiny, and the plastic blocked the stomach. It is likely that the deer did not eat enough nutrition and died.
Volunteers pick up trash in Nara (NHK TV)
Examples of deer accidentally eating plastic bags and dying have continued to attract the attention of related organizations. A total of 140 volunteers participated in Nara Park's trash pickup event on Monday, the first in eight years.
After one and a half hours, 53 kilograms of garbage such as plastic bags and empty cans were picked up. The "Nara Deer Protection Association" said it would also hold garbage collection activities from time to time in the future.
A 20-year-old volunteer in Nara city said, "I was shocked when I read on the news that plastic bags were the cause of the deer's death. I hope tourists can take their garbage back and not leave it here." "I was surprised to see more garbage than I thought," said Yoshiko Rashimura, director of the Nara Deer Protection Association. He called on overseas visitors to join the litter pickup. (Overseas.com/Wang Shaning)