The Living Creatures of “White Eden”
- Japanese Woodpecker
- Scientific name Picus awokera
- Approximately 30cm long. This member of the Picidae family is indigenous to Japan and is found in forests throughout Japan, except for Hokkaido. Its back and the tops of its wings are yellow-green in color. Males have a red patch from their foreheads to the back of their heads. They use their pointed beaks to peck their way into trees to find and eat bugs, as well as to make a place for themselves to nest.
- Photo - Cory
- Honshu Wolf
- Scientific name Canis lupus hodophilax
- Because these wolves indigenous to Japan were known to eat animals such as boars, which ruin farmers’ fields, they were revered as “voracious gods.” Because they spread rabies, and because of other factors, they were exterminated and eventually became extinct by 1905; however, rumors persist that there might still be some around.
- Photo - Katuuya
- Japanese Serow
- Scientific name Capricornis crispus
- The only member of the family Bovidae native to Japan, Japanese serow are found in the mountains of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu and are considered special national treasures. They have a clumsy-looking build and appearance, but their hooves allow them to move quickly and nimbly about steep rocky faces and cliffs. They can sometimes be seen lazing about on top of cliffs or other precarious places.
- Photo - Jdombrow
- Crested Ibis
- Scientific name Nipponia nippon
- The crested ibis appears in both the Nihon Shoki [Chronicles of Japan] and the Manyoshu [Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves] as the “plum-flower bird.” The shade of pink found under its wings is known as “crested ibis pink.” Although it is found throughout East Asia, development and overfishing drastically reduced its population to the point that wild crested ibis were listed as extinct in Japan in 2003. Japan currently runs a captive breeding and release program.
- Silkworm
- Scientific name Antheraea yamamai
- Also known as tensan, the Japanese silk moth is a wild silkworm indigenous to Japan, where it has been cultivated nationwide since the Meiji era. The creature winters in the egg stage and produces a light green cocoon. Around 600-700m of silk can be acquired from a single cocoon, and the silk is known for its luster and durability.
- Photo - Kulac
- Japanese Dormouse
- Scientific name Glirulus japonicus
- This nocturnal animal has large, adorable eyes. They hibernate for half the year and are thought to have lived through the ice age. Because of their habit of hanging upside down and jumping from tree branch to tree branch, they are sometimes called “forest sprites” or “forest ninjas.” This semi-endangered species is considered a special national treasure of Japan.
- Photo - Katuuya
- Japanese Pond Turtle
- Scientific name Mauremys japonica
- When young, the Japanese pond turtle is sometimes referred to as zenigame [penny turtle], and it has long been bred in Japan. These turtles live in rice paddies, ponds, small streams and other areas in and around mountains. They prefer cleaner water and more abundant nature than the reeve’s turtle, which also lives in similar environments. Japanese pond turtles have been known to live for more than twenty years!
- Kami-kurage
- Scientific name Spirocodon saltatrix
- Because these jellyfish appear in early spring, they are known as the “spring herald jellyfish.” The name kami-kurage [hair jellyfish] is derived from the fact that they have numerous tentacles which resemble flowing hair. Its light-sensitive eyespot is a showy pink which, when combined with the rising and falling of its flowing hair, gives it an ethereal appearance.
- Photo - strollers
- Amami Rabbit
- Scientific name Pentalagus furnessi
- This special national treasure of Japan is found only on the islands of Amami Oshima and Tokunoshima and is said to be a primitive rabbit. In addition to short ears and a short tail, this rabbit has short hind legs which make it incapable of large jumps; however, it is quite skilled at digging thanks to its large claws. The Amami Rabbit is designated as an endangered species due to the deleterious effects which deforestation and other factors have had on its population.
- Photo - Katuuya
- Miyako-mado Hotaru
- Scientific name Lychnuris miyako
- This unusual firefly is found only on the river-less Miyako Islands. As a larva, it is known for eating small land snails. Residential development and other factors are rapidly destroying the habitat of the miyako-mado hotaru. But the sight of its beautiful, soft yellow-green glow is surely something we do not want to lose.
- Photo - H.Udagawa
- Gifu Butterfly
- Scientific name Luehdorfia japonica
- This species is well known for its striped wing pattern. These beautiful butterflies emerge around the same time that the cherry blossoms bloom and are sometimes referred to as “spring goddesses” because of the fact that they are the first to appear in spring. Japan’s indigenous Gifu butterfly population is spread from Yamaguchi Prefecture to Akita Prefecture along the Sea of Japan and down to the northern part of Kanagawa Prefecture along the Pacific Ocean; however, it is endangered in all of these regions.
- Photo - Ludorf
- Japanese Giant Salamander
- Scientific name Andrias japonicus
- Growing to lengths in excess of one meter, the Japanese giant salamander is one of the world’s largest amphibians. It is famous as one of Japan’s special national treasures. Because this species has undergone almost no changes in the past 30 million years, it is referred to as a “living fossil;” however, many mysteries still remain about its biology.
- Photo - OpenCage
- Omura’s Whale
- Scientific name Balaenoptera omurai
- Discovered off the coast of Tsunoshima Island (Hohoku Town, Toyura District, Yamaguchi Prefecture) in 1998, Omura’s whale was recognized as a new species in 2003. Because its body is usually 12m or less in length, it is considered to be relatively small for a whale. Only a few individuals have been identified so far; thus, even now there are many questions which remain about its biology and population size.
- Photo - Lycaon.cl
- Setouchi-Maimai
- Scientific name Euhadra subnimbosa
- This species of snail has long been a beloved part of Japan and Japanese culture. As its Japanese name implies, it is found in the area around the Seto Inland Sea. It lives at the top of trees and hibernates when the weather turns cold. Some setouchi-maimai have shells bearing a “flame-colored” pattern that gives the appearance of a flickering flame.
- Japanese Shrew Mole
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学名 Urotrichus talpoides
- Part of the Talpidae family, the Japanese shrew mole’s Japanese name, “himizu,” means “daylight avoider.” However, Japanese shrew moles live in very shallow burrows, unlike other moles, and are highly active on the surface of the ground. This species is only found in Japan.
- Moriao-Gaeru
- Scientific name Rhacophorus arboreus
- This indigenous Japanese species of frog lives in trees in the forest. It has suction disks on the ends of its toes, making it suited to life in the treetops. These frogs are known for producing a cream-colored foam containing their egg batch which they adhere to branches, grass and other objects suspended over water. In some areas they have been designated a protected species.
- Photo - OpenCage
