The year 2021 marked as the tenth year of nuclear disaster over the landscape in Fukushima, Japan. The TÅhoku earthquake (magnitude 9) and tsunami triggered Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. The disaster got classified as a level 7 on INES (International Nuclear Event Scale). And considered as the most severe nuclear disaster after Chernobyl case in 1986. All thanks to the rat snakes with transmitters , now there is an interesting follow up on this matter.
According to the study conducted by University of Georgia, the radioactive contamination can be measured with the help of resident snakes in Fukushima exclusive zone. The researchers reported in the journal of Ichthyology and Herpetology that Rat snakes act as bioindicators (living organism used to monitor the health of ecosystem) for finding the residual radioactivity. Rat snakes are one of the abundant species in Japan. It accumulates higher levels of radionuclides as it travels short distance. The varying levels of contamination is identified from the limited movement of snake and its close contact with the soil.
As per Hanna Gerke ( Alumna of UGA’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory and Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources), animal behaviour has an impact on contaminant accumulation and exposure of radiation. Moreover they did a study on the use of contaminated landscape by specific animals. This helped in understanding the impact on environment due to huge nuclear disaster as in Fukushima and Chernobyl.
Snakes as Good Indicators
In accordance to James C. Beasley (Associate Professor at SREL and Warnel) , snakes are good indicators as it spends more time in and on soil. And they are better than other mobile species like Wild Boar, East Asian Raccoon dogs and Song birds. The team tracked the movement on average of approximately 213 feet (65 metres) per day. In addition to that, the team found 1,718 locations of snakes as a result of tracking them for more than a month.
Tracking of Snakes
The team selected 9 rat snakes and placed the transmitters on the back of snake. Transmitters are the combination of GPS transmitters and manual VHF (Very high frequency) tracking. With this, team could locate the snake physically during a certain period of time.
At first, the team placed the tape around snake. Then they pasted the transmitters to the tape using super glue. Later it is helpful for them to remove the transmitters.
The team reported that for escaping from the contamination in the soil, these tracked snakes sheltered in abandoned barns and sheds. In winter season, they occupy the space in the underground which is close to contaminated soil. This movement thereby increases the risk of exposure.
Previous and Future Works
The previous work of the team emphasized the high correlation of the levels of Radio Cesium in snakes with the levels of radiation in soil of their habitat.
Future work will clarify:
(i) the link between the use of micro-habitat of different species and their contaminant exposure.
(ii)the health issues of the wildlife due to the increase in radiation exposure.
Hope the works of the team can provide critical information about the effects of the Fukushima Disaster on the wildlife organisms.
Reference : University of Georgia
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