You can almost probably find anything in nature if you can think of it. Some species pretend to be other species, live inside or on other species, survive in hot sulfur springs, the deep cold, inside snow, inside other species, and even hunt and store other species for later use. At least 45 species of …
The two southernmost main islands of Japan, Kyushu and Shikoku, have warmer weather than either Honshu or Hokkaido. Shikoku and Honshu are divided by the Setonaikai, or Inland Sea of Japan, which has more than 3,000 islands and was created from an old rift valley. Today, Japan is unique in that its climate is distinctly …
Although the issue itself extends back millennia, awareness of the effects of invasive alien species on Japan’s biodiversity has grown over the last few decades. However, introduced insects, plants, parasites of food crops and trees, and pathogens cause far greater harm to the environment than do animals such as the North American Raccoon, Bluegill and …
One animal in Japan would win two medals if they were given out for extremes: one for maybe being the ugliest animal in the entire planet and the other for being one of the two largest amphibians still alive. The most well-known members of the amphibian family, including frogs, newts, and salamanders, usually have a …
Japan is a spectral nation. There may be ghosts waiting for us close to temples, shrines, and cemeteries, but only the Grey Ghost haunts the mountains of Japan. Sharp eyes, patience, and effort are needed to find the lone Grey Ghost. The stocky “goat-antelope” known as the endemic and secretive Japanese Serow is a grizzled, …
It is thought that the last wolf in Japan died off in 1905. There are some tales of wolves existing into the 1930s, while others claim they persisted up until the extensive habitat devastation and deforestation that occurred during Japan’s post-Pacific War economic rebound. Constant reports of canid sightings in wild regions fuel widespread skepticism …
Bears are the two largest terrestrial mammals in Japan, however their ranges do not cross or overlap in that country. Brown Bear is found in Hokkaido, a region in the north of the nation, north of Blakiston’s Line, an essential biogeographical boundary, as well as beyond the Tsugaru Strait. The home range of the Asiatic …
Tanuki, an indigenous monster that is both mythological and real, is common throughout mainland Japan, particularly in mountainous woods. It can be seen in houses all around the country and is more common and likely much more numerous in ceramic form than the actual wild critter. On the other hand, the wild animal is indigenous …
The footprints left by Japan’s hares after a recent snowfall show how extensive and abundant they are. Their prints are easily recognized because their small front paws create two close-together impressions, usually in a line pointing in the direction of travel, and their huge, broad hind feet leave large, widely spaced impressions to either side …
The largest of Japan’s Ryukyu (Nansei) Islands, Okinawa Island is located in the Kyushu area. Of Japan’s five main islands, this one is the smallest and least populous. The island has a total size of 1,206.98 square kilometers, is around 106 kilometers (66 mi) long, and is typically 11 kilometers (7 mi) wide (466.02 sq …