The Fate of the Abandoned Cows in Fukushima

After the devastating tsunami in 2011 in Fukushima, Japan, which led to the release of radioactive materials from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the government ordered farmers in the contaminated area to cull their livestock. The area around Fukushima was once considered an agricultural and livestock paradise. However, only two hundred cows remain, those whose owners refused to kill them. They cannot use the milk or meat from these animals, although they are now being used in scientific experiments. According to the Associated Press, researchers visit the cows living within a 20-kilometer radius of the Fukushima plant every three months. Three reactors at this plant were destroyed during the tsunami. These visits are part of a scientific program that examines the effects of low levels of radiation on animals for the first time. One farmer in the area, pleased with the survival of his animals, states, 'Keeping these cows alive for scientific research means we are conducting a study for the next generation instead of leaving them just a negative memory.' This research group has established a non-governmental organization called the 'Post-Nuclear Disaster Animal Refuge and Environment Association,' which consists of veterinarians and radiation specialists from three Japanese universities. Their activities began a year after the tsunami and the destruction of the Fukushima plant. This research group opposed the Japanese government's order to kill the livestock contaminated with radiation, arguing that no scientific research had been conducted on the effects of low radiation on animals, and this could provide a unique opportunity for scientific inquiry. Dr. Keiji Okada, a member of this research team, states that although the organs of these animals have not shown any significant signs of imbalance, it is still too early to draw conclusions since more time is needed for thyroid or blood cancers that may arise from exposure to radiation. According to Okada, this research team believes that future examinations of these animals will show whether it will be possible to utilize animals exposed to low radiation levels. They also want to determine the best decisions regarding animals in the region if such an event occurs again somewhere in the world.