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Flamingos are not native to Japan, but they can be found in some zoos and parks. The most famous place to see flamingos in Japan is Higashiyama Zoo in Nagoya, which has had a flamingo exhibit since the 1950s. There are also flamingos at other zoos like Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Asahiyama Zoo in Hokkaido, and Hirakawa Zoo in Kagoshima. Outside of zoos, some parks and gardens have started keeping flamingos as well, such as Showa Kinen Park in Tachikawa. So while they are not naturally from Japan originally, flamingos have become popular birds to see in Japan thanks to zoos and parks importing them.
Flamingos are iconic tropical birds that many people associate with warm, sunny places like Africa, South America, or the Caribbean. Their bright pink feathers and long legs make them unmistakable. Given their association with the tropics, you might be surprised to learn that Japan has flamingos too! While they are not native to Japan, flamingos can be found living in zoos, parks, and gardens across the country. So how did these tropical birds end up in Japan? And where are the best places to see flamingos there?
History of Flamingos in Japan
Flamingos first arrived in Japan in the 1950s as exotic species imported to zoos. The Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Nagoya was the first zoo to acquire flamingos in 1953. A few specimens arrived from Germany as a gift. Over the next decades, more flamingos were brought to Higashiyama Zoo from Mexico, Tanzania, and the Netherlands. The flock grew large enough that Higashiyama Zoo became famous for its flamingo exhibit. Flamingos bred well in the zoo environment, allowing the population to increase.
Other major zoos in Japan followed suit by adding flamingos to their collections. Ueno Zoo in Tokyo obtained flamingos in 1961. Hokkaido’s Asahiyama Zoo imported Chilean flamingos in 1969. The growth of Japan’s zoo industry led to more flamingos spread across the country. As exotic birds from abroad, flamingos captivated Japanese zoo visitors. Seeing the bright pink birds was a novelty.
Growth of Zoo Flamingo Exhibits
By the 1980s, flamingos were thriving in Japan’s zoos. Here are some major zoo exhibits that formed over the years:
- Higashiyama Zoo in Nagoya – Over 100 flamingos by the 1980s, mix of greater and Chilean flamingos in large outdoor pond habitat.
- Ueno Zoo in Tokyo – Flock of up to 80 greater flamingos in an indoor and outdoor enclosure.
- Asahiyama Zoo in Hokkaido – Up to 50 Chilean flamingos displayed in a temperature controlled penguin house.
- Hirakawa Zoo in Kagoshima – Established a flamingo pond in 1989 that grew to over 40 birds.
- Tama Zoo in Tokyo – Added lesser flamingos to their collection in 1985.
As the zoos upgraded their flamingo exhibits with better facilities, the flocks thrived. To this day, Higashiyama Zoo remains famous across Japan for its large flamingo population bred over decades. The exotic tropical birds proved adaptable to Japan’s climate.
Flamingos in Japanese Parks and Gardens
In recent decades, some public parks and gardens in Japan have also started housing flamingos. While less common than zoo exhibits, these outdoor flamingo displays offer another way for people to see the birds. Here are a few examples:
Showa Kinen Park – Tachikawa, Tokyo
This large suburban parkland in western Tokyo first displayed flamingos in 1995. The flock size has grown from 6 to over 20 birds made up of greater, Chilean, and Caribbean flamingos. They live on a lake island modeled after a tropical habitat. Visitors can view them from walking paths or rental boats. As a free public park, Showa Kinen Park provides easy flamingo viewing for Tokyo residents.
Mizumoto Park – Nishi-Tokyo, Tokyo
First opened in 1989, the brackish water Mizumoto Park includes over 80 bird species like herons, egrets, and ducks. A flock of around 10 lesser flamingos was added in 2015 to increase biological diversity. The bright pink flamingos stand out against the park’s green marshland.
Izumi Park Town – Sendai, Miyagi
This seaside development in Sendai features a man-made beach, marina, shops, and restaurants. Since 2015, Izumi Park Town has been home to around 15 Chilean flamingos displayed on a lake. The flamingo exhibit has become a popular attraction for visitors and locals alike.
Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort – Nagasaki, Nagasaki
At this resort on the Omura Bay, a flock of over 30 flamingos roams the surrounding wetland area and interacts with wild native birds. The Chilean flamingos arrived in 1998 and have lived at the resort ever since as a colorful highlight for guests.
Flamingo Species in Japan
There are six species of flamingo worldwide, three of which can be found in Japan:
Greater Flamingo
Native to Africa, the Middle East, and southern Europe. The greater flamingo is the largest species and can have a wingspan up to 5 feet. They have pink feathers with some black on their wings. Greater flamingos are the most common species kept in Japanese zoos and parks.
Chilean Flamingo
Native to South America. Slightly smaller than greater flamingos with a pinkish-white plumage. The Chilean flamingo adapts well to temperate climates and is the second most common species in Japan after the greater.
Caribbean Flamingo
Native to the Caribbean islands, Venezuela, and Galapagos. They are distinguished by their bright crimson-red plumage. The Caribbean flamingo is the least commonly seen species in Japan.
The Andean, lesser, and James’s flamingos sometimes found elsewhere are not known to live in Japan currently. Only facilities with tropical enclosures have managed to keep those species.
Notable Flamingo Exhibits in Japan
Here is more detail on some of the top zoos and parks to see flamingos in Japan:
Higashiyama Zoo – Nagoya, Aichi
As Japan’s original flamingo zoo, Higashiyama remains a top spot for flamingo viewing today. Their flock includes over 100 birds made up of greater, Chilean, and a few Caribbean flamingos. Visitors can view them in an outdoor pond habitat landscaped with palms, grass, and sand. Higashiyama Zoo also has an indoor tropical house for the flamingos to take shelter. This sizable flock makes Higashiyama a must-see flamingo destination.
Ueno Zoo – Tokyo, Tokyo
Japan’s oldest zoo opened in 1882 and added greater flamingos to their collection in 1961. The Ueno flock counts around 80 birds displayed between an outdoor pond area and adjacent indoor winter house. During cold months, visitors may need to view the flamingos indoors at certain times when the pond is not accessible. But the huge indoor pond still provides great up-close views of these elegant birds.
Asahiyama Zoo – Asahikawa, Hokkaido
Well known for its penguin exhibits, Asahiyama Zoo also houses 50 Chilean flamingos. They live in the zoo’s ‘Taiwan’ exhibit zone featuring a temperature-controlled penguin house. The flamingos share space with the penguins and can be seen both inside and outdoors. Their enclosure has a hot spring pond heated to 20°C so the flamingos can withstand Hokkaido’s harsh winters.
Showa Kinen Park – Tachikawa, Tokyo
Easily accessible from central Tokyo, Showa Kinen Park offers a free outdoor flamingo exhibit. Around 20 birds live on a small lake island designed to mimic the tropics. Visitors can walk around the lake perimeter or rent boats to get even closer looks at the flamingos. The flock mix includes greater, Chilean, and Caribbean flamingos imported from Mexico.
Izumi Park Town – Sendai, Miyagi
This seaside leisure complex opened a flamingo pond in 2015 housing Chilean flamingos. Visitors can view around 15 flamingos strolling and wading through their habitat surrounding a central fountain. Located an hour south of Sendai, Izumi Park Town provides nice flamingo viewing in northern Japan.
Zoo/Park | Location | Major Species | Flock Size |
---|---|---|---|
Higashiyama Zoo | Nagoya, Aichi | Greater, Chilean, Caribbean | 100+ |
Ueno Zoo | Tokyo, Tokyo | Greater | 80 |
Asahiyama Zoo | Asahikawa, Hokkaido | Chilean | 50 |
Showa Kinen Park | Tachikawa, Tokyo | Greater, Chilean, Caribbean | 20+ |
Izumi Park Town | Sendai, Miyagi | Chilean | 15 |
Flamingo Behavior in Japan
The flamingo species found in Japan exhibit natural behaviors similar to what you’d see in the wild:
- Standing on one leg while resting
- Head flagging displays towards each other
- Twisting their necks S-shaped to preen feathers
- Using their beaks upside down to filter feed
- Wading through water and splashing themselves
- Mating dances and group courtship displays
- Building mud nest mounds for eggs
- Regurgitating crop milk to feed chicks
Their enclosures in Japan aim to recreate key features of their natural habitat like shallow water, mud flats, nesting areas, and shelter sites. Given adequate space, food, water, and flock size, flamingos are quite content living in Japanese zoos and parks.
The warmer indoor exhibits also allow the flamingos to remain active year-round despite Japan’s colder northern climate. Their bright plumage stays vibrant rather than turning pale. And the flocks display normal breeding behavior that continues boosting their numbers over generations.
Flamingo Care in Japan
Caring for flamingos requires providing:
- Spacious enclosures with shallow fresh and saltwater pools
- Proper heating and insulation for colder regions
- Nesting areas with soft ground and building materials
- Ample food supply with diets high in plant and animal sources
- Supplemental vitamin sources for feather pigmentation
- Predator protection from threats like foxes and raptors
- Quarantine and preventative medicine against diseases
- Social group sizes of at least 30-50 birds
Zoos conduct regular health exams on their flamingos to check for issues like foot lesions, respiratory illness, or abnormalities. Facilities in northern Japan take extra precautions in winter by moving flamingos indoors overnight when temperatures drop severely.
With attentive care, most flamingos in Japan thrive and live comparable lifespans to those in the wild, up to 40-60 years. Their bright plumes and active behaviors remain strong when kept in proper captive environments. Japan’s cold winters prove manageable through heating, shelter, and adequate nutrition.
Threats and Conservation
None of the flamingo species in Japan are under threat currently. But human activities have caused some conservation concerns for wild flamingo populations globally:
- Wetland habitat destruction reduces food availability
- Climate change altering breeding and feeding grounds
- Tourism disturbances at nesting sites
- Industrial pollution impacting feathers and reproduction
- Over-harvesting flamingo eggs for food in some regions
Zoos play an important role for conservation by maintaining reserve populations, conducting research, and educating the public. Japanese zoos have helped preserve genetic diversity by successfully breeding flamingos for decades. Their exhibits showcase how vital wetland ecosystems are to the birds’ survival.
While Japan’s zoo flamingos themselves are not endangered, they serve as ambassadors generating awareness and support for protecting their wild counterparts. Visitors who get to admire flamingos up close may gain a better appreciation for conservation issues facing the species.
Conclusion
Flamingos may seem like exotic tropical creatures, but thanks to forward-thinking zoos and parks, Japan has developed a strong population of these iconic pink birds over the past 60 years. Facilities like Higashiyama Zoo pioneered keeping and breeding flamingos to the point they thrive today across Japanese cities.
Though not native originally, imported flamingos have adapted well to life in Japanese zoos, parks, and gardens. Their striking beauty and behaviors captivate visitors of all ages while highlighting the importance of wetland conservation. Flamingos prove that with the right care, some tropical species can flourish even in temperate foreign environments. So next time you visit Japan, be sure to check if there are any flamingos around to see!