Kushiroshitsugen National Park is mostly marshland, dominated by fens. You can also find cold-climate plants and waterweeds such as cotton grass, crowberry and water chestnut.
An abundance of wildlife inhabit these marshes, such as the Siberian salamander, Ezo red fox, white-tailed sea eagle and red-crowned crane.
Yachibozu (Carex cespitosa var. cespitosa) are clumps of grass that slowly form over decades. They tend to be round, and their name means "bald heads of the marsh."
Red-crowned cranes can be seen all over Kushiro's wetlands. Although on the brink of extinction a century ago, conservation efforts brought this symbol of luck and longevity in Japan back. About half of the world's red-crowned cranes live in this area.
The Siberian salamander is believed to have crossed to Hokkaido from mainland Asia during the Ice Age. It survives Hokkaido's cold winters by producing anti-freeze chemicals. You can spot this creature in Kushiro's wetlands and on Kunashiri Island.
