ライチョウ、初の野生復帰　栃木と長野の動物園から―環境省

　環境省は１０日、国の特別天然記念物で絶滅危惧種のニホンライチョウ計２２羽を野生復帰させたと発表した。２２羽は、那須どうぶつ王国（栃木県那須町）と茶臼山動物園（長野市）で繁殖させた成鳥やひな。動物園で繁殖させたニホンライチョウを野生に復帰させるのは全国で初めてという。
　２２羽は同日、飼育先から生息地である中央アルプスの駒ケ岳にヘリコプターで移送された。ケージ内で１週間程度保護した後、順次放鳥する。同省担当者は「人の手の入らない環境で繁殖させて、個体群を維持していきたい」と話している。（2022/08/10-18:52）

Twenty-two Japanese rock ptarmigans have been returned to the wild in Japan, the Environment Ministry said Wednesday.
   The birds were bred at Nasu Animal Kingdom in Tochigi Prefecture in eastern Japan or Nagano Chausuyama Zoo in the central Japan city of Nagano.
   It was the first time for Japanese rock ptarmigans bred at a zoo to be released into the wild in Japan, according to the ministry. The Japanese rock ptarmigan is on the red list and designated as a special natural monument by the Japanese government.
   The 22 Japanese rock ptarmigans were transported to the Komagatake peak in the Chuo Alps mountain range in Nagano Prefecture by helicopter on Wednesday.
   They will be kept in cages for about a week and then released in stages. "We hope that the rock ptarmigan population will be maintained through breeding in an environment free from human intervention," a ministry official in charge said.