Wild Monkeys to Be Released into Fukushima Fallout to Test Radiation

To study the lingering impacts of the nuclear disaster that occurred this past March in Fukushima, Japan, scientists there are designing radiation-detecting collars that they plan to fit onto wild monkeys in the local forests.

According to Takayuki Takahashi, a professor of robotic technology at Fukushima University, the collars will contain a dosimeter, which measures radiation levels, as well as an altimeter to measure height above the ground, and a GPS tracking device. As soon as February, the collars will be fitted on as many as three wild monkeys living in a forest in the Fukushima Prefecture.

Takahashi told CNN that the monkeys will wear their collars for about a month, after which the devices will be detached by the researchers using remote controls, and retrieved.

Analyzing the data collected by the collars will reveal the impact of radioactive material that spewed into the environment back in March, when a magnitude-9.0 earthquake and tsunami knocked out the cooling system at the Fukushima Daicchi power plant, leading to the meltdowns of three of its nuclear reactors. [5 Everyday Things That Are Radioactive]

In April, scientists estimated that the total amount of radioactivity released was approximately one-tenth the amount released during the Chernobyl disaster. In the months since, scientists have continued to monitor radiation levels from the air, but they say using monkeys as "research assistants" will clarify the conditions on the ground.

"We would like to know how much impact (the radiation has) on the natural world, such as forest, river, underground water and ocean," Takahashi told reporters. "We will draw the map to show the movement of radioactivity."

The scientists are adjusting the collar's design after its dosimeter malfunctioned during the first attempt to run the experiment in October, CNN reported. The project was the brainchild of Toshio Mizoguchi, a veterinarian at the Fukushima Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, who wanted to monitor the effects of radiation on the local wildlife..

news.yahoo.com/wild-monkeys-released-fukushima-fallout-test- radiation-222803557.html

I am glad I am not one of those monkeys.

Poor animals

It's such a shame they're retorting to the monkeys for suicide missions; the reactors are beyond unstable and several lives have been lost at the Fukushima plant...God bless Japan

reply to post by liejunkie01


I would be an awful lot happier if the officials that bungled all this were to go in wearing collars. Again an animal is used to test the radiation that has no choice in the matter. I feel really sorry for them. We surely have the technology to send in equipment radio controlled so as to not cause harm to these poor animals and still get some readings. How about all the officials that keep saying it's ok to plant the crops and where to live etc they should go in. Damn well infuriates meI know humans are supposedly more important than animals but I do not agree they are expendable and a tool for our tests.

Upsets me terribly that they are sending
in monkeys. Where are all those high
tech robots in Japan when you need them

They should take it another step and have the monkeys breed if possible. It's kinda horrible, but info about reproductive effects of the radiation could be gained. Well, if they make it.

Part of me secretly hopes this plays out like a comic book. Super monkey? Maybe.

Do we really need for monkeys to tell us by walking into a suicide mission that radiation is dangerous? There is still proof that people cant live in Chernobyl, cant they just watch the same documentary that I did, or they can call anyone above the age of 10 and they can also give a credible answer.

There is seriously something about the way we do things that amazes me.

Dear Monkeys,
I'm sorry, we should know better, and I think that its fair to say that haunting these people that are sending you there is very, very fair.

Sincerely, NRE.

BTW, the only way I would see this as ok, is if they are going in with hazmat suits, and meters for testing then its kind of ok.

reply to post by liejunkie01


Well where the hell is PETA?? They want to get on us for not being vegans but here we’re about to have glowing monkeys and PETA is silent!! They should be ashamed!!

Originally posted by crazydaisy
Upsets me terribly that they are sending
in monkeys. Where are all those high
tech robots in Japan when you need them

I think sending monkeys is a financial issue.. far cheaper to send in these monkeys. than hundred thousand dollar-million dollar high tech robots that have a high chance of breaking.

Not saying I agree with it, just that to the people who makes these decisions, $ far outweighs live. (imo)

They are gonna make super monkeys.
planet of the apes

Originally posted by sgspecial19
It's such a shame they're retorting to the monkeys for suicide missions; the reactors are beyond unstable and several lives have been lost at the Fukushima plant...God bless Japan

Tons of men have went in to Fukushima on a suicide mission.

I hope those scientists are haunted day and night by this decision.. disgusting

reply to post by liejunkie01

scientists there are designing radiation-detecting collars that they plan to fit onto wild monkeys in the local forests.

It sounds to me like they are simply going to place the collars on monkeys already living in the local area.

But if they are actually placing Monkeys into the irradiated zone just for some damn tests I hope the scientists rot in hell. It's not like we don't already know the effects of radiation, we've have more then enough experience with disasters like this.

The monkeys are already there they are just going to study them for a while. Reading comprehension people

Don't F with radioactive monkeys, according to this picture (idk why I was able to find it lol), radioactive monkeys are the illuminati.

Guys calm down. No one is taking monkeys and sticking them in a reactor or something.

They are going to take collars and put them on three monkeys that already live wild in that area. Then after a while they will take the collars and check for radiation in the area that the monkeys are already living.....

No monkeys are being moved or put directly onto the site at all. Just some collars being put on monkeys that happen to live locally

I would rather not be that monkey\guy EVER but if they will never tell us the true fallout on some level aren't we all those monkeys that... Are the study?.......

They are using the animals that are already there, from what I read. They aren't endangering any more animals. I've got no qualms with that, they are already sick and might die anyway from the radiation.

They already have humans living there, why bother with the monkeys, just put collars on the humans.

Wow... it took 11 posts before anyone questioned the truth. Gotta read Peoples, gotta read. Even the quote clearly says they're looking to measure the impact on 'natural envronments'. Sheesh.

Originally posted by jtma508
Wow... it took 11 posts before anyone questioned the truth. Gotta read Peoples, gotta read. Even the quote clearly says they're looking to measure the impact on 'natural envronments'. Sheesh.

I believe that i said I would not like to be one of them monkeys.

It does'nt matter........They are still going to tranq them and use them as guinea pigs...................

If they are just going to check the radiation on the collars,,,,,,,,,then why can't they set up and study the forest they are living in...........

Why put collars on the monkeys?

Oh, I get it, because they can,,,,it makes them look like they care