The eruption of Mount Ontake in September killed dozens of hikers, but also probably decimated the population of a rare bird ¡ª the rock ptarmigan, a much-loved symbol of Â鶹´«Ã½ alpine region.
The bird, called the ¡°raicho¡± (thunder bird) in Japanese, is considered quite tame and has striking plumage that changes with the seasons: mottled in summer and mostly white in winter. The bird is designated as a Special Natural Monument by the Cultural Affairs Agency, and the Environment Ministry¡¯s Regional Red List declares it an endangered species.
Experts believe the thick layer of ash left by the Sept. 27 eruption of the 3,067-meter volcano straddling Gifu and Nagano prefectures may have killed the plants the bird lives on and reshaped its habitat.
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