
Kashishi spreads her wings wide at Noichi Zoological Park in Konan, Kochi Prefecture.
12:46 JST, January 28, 2023
KONAN, Kochi — Despite their reputation as motionless birds, a shoebill that has just arrived at a zoo in Kochi Prefecture seems to overturn this image by being surprisingly active.
Kashishi is an estimated 11-year-old female shoebill, also known as a whale-headed stork or shoe-billed stork, which came to Japan from Tanzania in April 2013.
Initially, she lived at Nasu Animal Kingdom in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture, and had repeatedly failed to breed. She was then loaned to Noichi Zoological Park in Konan, Kochi Prefecture, to be paired with a male shoebill, Sasa, whose age is unknown.
Kashishi has lived in the zoo’s indoor exhibit for the public to view since early January. She often follows her keeper who brings her food, spreads her wings wide after she finishes eating and even moves around to turn her back on visitors.
When she arrived from Tochigi Prefecture on Dec. 20, she bowed as if greeting others, according to the zoo.
Her keeper is rather concerned about the uncharacteristic behavior of Kashishi.
“Shoebills are largely solitary by nature. Being friendly to humans makes it easier to manage the bird, but I am a little worried that it will interfere with her breeding with Sasa,” the keeper said.
Only three have ever hatched in captivity — two in Belgium in 2008 and the other in the United States in 2009.
"Features" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Neko Pitcher
-
Fukuoka: Red Trolley Train Runs Through Mountainous Village; Passengers Get Once-in-a-Month Experience
-
Red Carpet of Shirley Poppies in Bloom at Western Tokyo Park; Total of 1.8 Million Flowers Fill Area
-
‘Rice Meister’ Shares Tips on How to Cook Tasty Stockpiled Rice; Soaking, Adding Sake Among Tricks to Restore Old Rice
-
My Daughter’s Husband Lives with Us But Doesn’t Help Pay for Living Expenses
JN ACCESS RANKING
-
Toyoda to Become Automobile Business Association of Japan Chairman; to Help Guide U.S. Tariff-Affected Industriessns
-
Visitors to Japan Hit Single-Month Record High in April
-
Japanese Researchers Develop ‘Transparent Paper’ as Alternative to Plastics; New Material Is Biodegradable, Can Be Produced with Low Carbon Emissions
-
Japan to Introduce Car Fuel with Up to 10% Biofuels from Fiscal 2028; Limited Rollout Expected at Areas with Refineries
-
Former North Korean Agent Says Still Many Spies in South Korea Looking to Strain Relations with Japan