Toyama City Family Park displays group of endangered Japanese ptarmigan

Toyama City Family Park has begun displaying a group of four Japanese ptarmigan, an endangered species and special natural monument of Japan. The birds are sub-adults that hatched at the park on July 6 and 7.

To reflect the natural behavior of wild ptarmigan, which live in groups from autumn to winter, the park is displaying four of the six sub-adults in a single enclosure. This is a departure from previous displays, which featured only one male and one female in separate rooms. The birds currently weigh approximately 400 grams, having grown from their hatching weight of roughly 16.5 to 19.5 grams.

The park is involved in ptarmigan protection and ex-situ conservation efforts as part of a biodiversity conservation agreement between the Ministry of the Environment and the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The park currently maintains a total of 18 ptarmigan, consisting of 12 adults and 6 sub-adults. The group display is scheduled to run until late February.