Ice Age Wildlife

The Minami Alps were shaped by glaciers some 20,000 years ago, and many arctic species that spread south during the Ice Age still survive in the alpine zone today. The most recognizable is the rock ptarmigan, a protected bird whose southernmost range in the northern hemisphere reaches Mt. Tekaridake. It shifts from mottled brown in summer to pure white in winter for camouflage. Among the alpine flowers, look for the Kitadake-so, a white-petaled species found only here, alongside the drooping saxifrage and eight-petal mountain avens, both typical of high Arctic environments.