| *Beech tree* |
 Beech trees, buna, are classified in the
genus beech and there is also
inubuna in
Japan in the same genus. Buna
grows throughout
the nation from the southern
part of Hokkaido
to Kagoshima, and inubuna grows
mainly along
the Pacific Ocean south of Iwate
Prefecture.
Because of abundant plants that
are food
for animals in forests of beech
trees, a
wide variety of animals live
in the forests
in comparison with other forests.
Forests
of beech trees are also excellent
in watershed
protection and the prevention
of surface
erosion. |
| *Black woodpecker* |
 The black woodpecker is the largest among
five kinds of woodpeckers living
in the Shirakami
Mountains. It is about the size
of a crow
and its body color is black.
The entire head
of a male black woodpecker is
red and the
back part of the head of a female
black woodpecker
is red. The black woodpecker
is designated
as a protected animal in Japan. |
| *Harlequin duck* |
 Harlequin ducks were thought to be sea birds
that fly over the sea to Japan
in wintertime,
but the breeding of harlequin
ducks was recently
confirmed for the first time
in Japan at
the source of the Akaishi River
in the Shirakami
Mountains. They seem to eat insects
or the
small fries of chars but we do
not know their
detailed habits yet. |
| *Ogomashijimi* |
 In Aomori Prefecture, the ogomashijimi (a
type of butterfly) that lays
eggs in kurobanahikiokoshi
of the beefsteak plant family
can only be
seen in a certain area of the
Shirakami Mountains.
The grown larvae of ogomashijimi
are carried
to the nests of kushikeari (a
type of ant)
and eat the larvae of ants. They
live in
areas where the natural environment
is in
good condition. |
| *Japanese antelope* |
 The Japanese antelope is a large herbivorous
mammal. Being a primitive species
among animals
belonging to the cattle family,
the Japanese
antelope is considered a living
fossil. It
is designated as a special protected
animal
in Japan. |
| *Aomorimantema* |
 The Aomorimantema that was found in Aomori
Prefecture for the first time
is a plant
in the pink family. The plant
has a pretty
white flower of about 2 cm in
diameter around
June. |
| *Shiragamikuwagata* |
 Shiragamikuwagata is a new kind of miyamakuwagata
of the gomanohagusa family. To
date, the
Shirakami Mountains are the only
known growing
areas of the plant. From June
to July, the
plant has vivid flowers with
deep bluish
purple linear patterns on a pale
purple background. |
| *Tsugarumisebaya* |
 Tsugarumisebaya is a plant in the orpine
family. The plant grows on collapsed
slopes
or rocky areas and has white
flowers around
October. |
