 It was last August when that cute stranger showed himself up at a river
in Tokyo. He, a bearded Arctic seal, was named Tama-chan, after the Tama
River, where he was first found.As it is extremely rare to see wild animals in Tokyo, more than 1,000 spectators crowded around the area every day since he was spotted. On the other hand, the media, which reported every one of his motions, made concerns about the effectsof the polluted water on his health. The arguments on whether to rescue him or to leave him alone, widely spread over the nation until Ms. Chikage Ohgi, the minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that we should keep watchful eye on him while preparing for emergency case. Despite such frenzy, Tama-chan suddenly disappeared from our sight on August 25, 2002 the day before a Typhoon hit Tokyo. Acouple of weeks later, while press crews searched for him on boats, Tama-chan appeared at Katabira River in Yokohama City, approximately 40km west of the first sighted spot. Excited to have such a lovely mascot, the Nishi-Ku, a municipal district in Yokohama, decided to issue him a residency certificate. This action, while intended to be a casual publicity stunt, raised objections from foreigners who do not possess a certificate of residence in Japan. Following such uncredicted hassle, another trouble arouse between the Local Tama-chan fan club and the concerned ecologists, who attempted to capture Tama-chan. Meanwhile, Tama-chan wisely perceived their plan and somehow slipped away from the net. It is quite ironic how much influence a wild animal can have on the well- tamed people of the well-controlled and organized system in Tokyo. But then, on the other hand, Tama-chan reminded us of the importance of nature and gave us a chance to think about the value of reviving nature and saving wild life beyond generations, all of which have been lost in the quest compensation for economical success. Tama-chan, who disappeared again from Katabira River in the middle of March, still continues his wayward journey while viewing our various ulterior motives and expectations. End |