Lake Kutcharo (クッチャロ湖, Kutcharo-ko) is a pair of inter-connected freshwater lakes in Hamatonbetsu, Esashi District, Sōya Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan. Eight rivers flow into the lakes, and they drain into the Sea of Okhotsk. The lakes were designated a Ramsar site in July 1989, and host nearly 300 bird species either year round or as part of the avians' migratory pattern.
| Lake Kutcharo | |
|---|---|
| クッチャロ湖 (Japanese) | |
 Lake Kutcharo | |
  Lake Kutcharo | |
| Location | Hamatonbetsu, Esashi District, Sōya Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan |
| Coordinates | 45°09′N 142°20′E / 45.150°N 142.333°E |
| Type | Freshwater lake |
| Etymology | Ainu kut-char (クㇳチャㇻ), meaning "marsh water outlet". |
| Basin countries | Japan |
| Surface area | 13.40 square kilometres (5.17 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) |
| Max. depth | 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) |
| Shore length1 | 27 kilometres (16.8 mi) |
| Surface elevation | approx. 1–2 metres (3.3–6.6 ft) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
| Designations | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Kutcharo-ko |
| Designated | 6 July 1989 |
| Reference no. | 439[1] |
The site is considered especially important for the tundra swan and the white-tailed eagle. Many varieties of ducks use the site, as well, with 50,000-60,000 visiting the lakes annually. A bird banding facility and an observation center are found at the site.
Etymology and geography
editThe lake name is based on the Ainu kut-char (クㇳチャㇻ), meaning "marsh water outlet".[2]
Lake Kutcharo consists to two interconnected smaller lakes, the smaller northern one called Konuma (小沼) and the larger southern one called Onuma (大沼, Ōnuma).[3] Six rivers flow into Konuma, which flows into Onuma via a small waterway at the northern end of Onuma.
Additionally, two rivers flow into Onuma. The outlet—located at the upper southeast corner of Onuma—flows into the Kutcharo River which flows about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) east where it converges with the Tonbetsu River about 600 metres (1,968.5 ft) before it empties into the Sea of Okhotsk.[3] Tides can cause some seawater inflow into Onuma.[3] The lake and the surrounding area was designated a Ramsar site in Japan in July 1989.[3][1]
Fauna and flora
editLake Kutcharo is considered an import wintering and resting site in the migration of tundra swans, with 6000–10,000 visiting each year.[3][4][1] More than 290 species of birds are found in and around the lake, especially ducks.[3] About 50,000-60,000 ducks visit annually.[1] The site is important for the conservation of the endangered white-tailed eagle.[1]
The lake is surrounded on three sides by forests of firs and spruces.[3] Ruppia occidentalis is known to grow in the shore area.[3]
Facilities
editThe Kutcharo-ko Waterfowl Observation Center is located on the southern shore of Onuma, and a bird banding station is located at the southern end of the connecting waterway between the smaller lakes.[3]
In popular culture
editLake Acuity in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl and Pokémon Platinum is based on this lake as the Sinnoh region is a fictionalized version of Hokkaido.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e "Kutcharo-ko". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ "Recommended Autumn Leaf Spots by UU Hokkaido". Hokkaido Travel Info. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Kutcharo-ko" (PDF). Ministry of the Environment. 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 September 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Chen, Wenbo; Doko, Tomoko; Fujita, Go; Hijikata, Naoya; Tokita, Ken-ichi; Uchida, Kiyoshi; Konishi, Kan; Hiraoka, Emiko; Higuchi, Hiroyoshi (1 February 2016). "Migration of Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus) Wintering in Japan Using Satellite Tracking: Identification of the Eastern Palearctic Flyway". Zoological Science. 33 (1). Zoological Society of Japan: 63–72. doi:10.2108/zs150066. ISSN 0289-0003. PMID 26853870.
External links
edit
Media related to Lake Kutcharo at Wikimedia Commons
