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For Restoring Forest Ecosystem and Native Animals in Yambaru For It’s not the mongoose’s fault Do not bring any invasive species into Yambaru Although mongooses are treated as pests disturbing the ecosystem in Yambaru, they are an essential component of the ecosys- tem in their original habitats like in India. The 3rd Revised introduction of mongooses by humans caused them to disturb the ecosystem in Oki- nawa Island. Therefore, we have to recog- This forest belongs to nize that it’s our fault. In order to conserve native animals in Yambaru, it’s absolutely in- Yambaru’s native species… dispensable to eradicate mongooses from the region. It is important for us to be aware of inva- For restoring forest ecosystem and sive species in our daily lives. We need to re- native animals in Yambaru member three principles for measures against invasive species: “Do not let them in”, “Do not release them”, and “Do not them spread”. Mongooses are “Invasive Alien Species” designated by the law Visit the following websites for information on invasive species About the Invasive Alien Species Act ……………………… http://www.env.go.jp/nature/intro/ Transporting and keeping living mongooses is prohibited About measures against invasive species in the Ryukyu Islands ……………………………………… http://kyushu.env.go.jp/naha/wildlife/gairai.html by the Invasive Alien Species Act. In addition, mongooses Database of invasive species, National Institute for are not purchased by governmental bodies. “Mongoose ……………………………………… Environmental Studies http://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/ Busters” is capturing mongooses with special permission,. What you can do for Yambaru’s future. It is not just mongooses. Please don’t abandon your pet. Abandoned dogs and cats will turn to feral and eat native endemic and rare animals. Living with humans is what makes pets happy. …… Making your pets happy will make wild animals in Yambaru happy. If abandoned pets turn to feral, they will attack native wild animals. Regulations for handling a house cat enacted by municipal governments in Yambaru, Kunigami, Higasi and Ogimi ● A microchip shall be implanted in a pet cat. ● Application for the registration shall be submitted within 30 days after acquisition of the cat. ● The owner who doesn’t want breeding of his/her cat shall endeavor the breeding control. ● Feeding stray cats is prohibited. ※The above dog and cat are both feral ones taken pictures in Yambaru. Municipal governments in Yambaru: Kunigami, Ogimi and Hi- gashi, enforced the “Ordinance on Welfare and Management of ※Abandoning pets is prohibited by law. Cats” on 1 April, 2005. Ministry of the Environment Okinawa Prefecture,Environmental Naha Nature Conservation Office Department, Nature Protection Section 1F Naha first local government Bldg., 1-2-2 Izumizaki, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture 1-15-15 Higawa, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, 900-8570 900-0022 TEL：+81-98-866-2243 ／ FAX：+81-98-866-2240 TEL：098-836-6400 ／ FAX：098-836-6401 Edition: Nansei Environmental Laboratory Co., Ltd. Design: Hirayama Printing Co., Ltd. Issued December, 2017 Animals Only Found in Yambaru In Yambaru, there live many endemic animals which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Okinawa spiny rat Ryukyu long-haired rat CR NEWF NNM EN NEWF NNM About Yambaru Yambaru, which means the northern moun- 1tainous area of Okinawa Island, had referred to Yambaru the region of Onna-son and northward before. Shioya Recently, the word is more commonly used to Fukuji Dam the region further north, which might be caused by improved transportation facilities. Okinawa Ishikawa’s frog Yambaru will, hereafter, refer to the SF Line, SF Line Ryukyu robin Amami woodcock EN NEWF PNM a fence line which extends from Shioya to （※Endemic EN NEWF NNM VU NEWF PNM Fukuji Dam, and the area northward. subspecies） Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle Kuroiwa’s ground gecko ※Endemic species of the ※Endemic Okinawa Islands VU NNM subspecies of VU NEWF PNM Okinawa rail （ those that cannot be the Okinawa Yambaru long-armed scarab beetle found on Amami Oshima） Islands CR NEWF NNM EN NEWF NNM Forests inhabited by A Vulnerable Ecosystem endemic species The Yambaru ecosystem which lacks car- nivorous native mammals have caused Namie’s frog Anderson’s crocodile newt Amami and Okinawa Islands are con- unique adaptations to the native fauna and EN NEWF PNM VU NEWF PNM sidered to be isolated from the continent flora, such as non-volant Okinawa rails and at least 1.7 million years ago. Such long Okinawa woodpeckers which forages on the time and further repeated isolation and re- Okinawa woodpecker ground. A unique ecosystem of Yambaru has union of the islands have caused specia- CR NEWF SNM been formulated by the interaction among tion and phylogenetic diversification of such organisms. terrestrial organisms. As a result, the is- Endemic to the Amami and Since the Yambaru ecosystem has been lands are currently inhabited by higher Endemic to Yambaru Okinawa Islands developed in an isolated environment, it is proportion of endemic species. In the Oki- CR Critically endangered EN Endangered VU Vulnerable very vulnerable to the impact by invasive NEWF nawa Island, a lot of endemic species in- National endangered species of wild fauna and flora SNM Special natural monuments of Japan species, especially carnivorous mammals. Ryukyu tip-nosed frog Holst’s frog ※ habit Yambaru in which Fagaceous for- NNM VU Endemic species of EN NEWF PNM National natural monuments of Japan the Okinawa Islands PNM （ those that cannot be ests extend. Prefectural natural monuments found on Amami Oshima） 1 Animals Only Found in Yambaru In Yambaru, there live many endemic animals which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Okinawa spiny rat Ryukyu long-haired rat CR NEWF NNM EN NEWF NNM About Yambaru Yambaru, which means the northern moun- 1tainous area of Okinawa Island, had referred to Yambaru the region of Onna-son and northward before. Shioya Recently, the word is more commonly used to Fukuji Dam the region further north, which might be caused by improved transportation facilities. Okinawa Ishikawa’s frog Yambaru will, hereafter, refer to the SF Line, SF Line Ryukyu robin Amami woodcock EN NEWF PNM a fence line which extends from Shioya to （※Endemic EN NEWF NNM VU NEWF PNM Fukuji Dam, and the area northward. subspecies） Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle Kuroiwa’s ground gecko ※Endemic species of the ※Endemic Okinawa Islands VU NNM subspecies of VU NEWF PNM Okinawa rail （ those that cannot be the Okinawa Yambaru long-armed scarab beetle found on Amami Oshima） Islands CR NEWF NNM EN NEWF NNM Forests inhabited by A Vulnerable Ecosystem endemic species The Yambaru ecosystem which lacks car- nivorous native mammals have caused Namie’s frog Anderson’s crocodile newt Amami and Okinawa Islands are con- unique adaptations to the native fauna and EN NEWF PNM VU NEWF PNM sidered to be isolated from the continent flora, such as non-volant Okinawa rails and at least 1.7 million years ago. Such long Okinawa woodpeckers which forages on the time and further repeated isolation and re- Okinawa woodpecker ground. A unique ecosystem of Yambaru has union of the islands have caused specia- CR NEWF SNM been formulated by the interaction among tion and phylogenetic diversification of such organisms. terrestrial organisms. As a result, the is- Endemic to the Amami and Since the Yambaru ecosystem has been lands are currently inhabited by higher Endemic to Yambaru Okinawa Islands developed in an isolated environment, it is proportion of endemic species. In the Oki- CR Critically endangered EN Endangered VU Vulnerable very vulnerable to the impact by invasive NEWF nawa Island, a lot of endemic species in- National endangered species of wild fauna and flora SNM Special natural monuments of Japan species, especially carnivorous mammals. Ryukyu tip-nosed frog Holst’s frog ※ habit Yambaru in which Fagaceous for- NNM VU Endemic species of EN NEWF PNM National natural monuments of Japan the Okinawa Islands PNM （ those that cannot be ests extend. Prefectural natural monuments found on Amami Oshima） 2 N Prefectural road No.2 2000 1993 2006 Seventeen mongooses were released in Naha and Nishiha- 2004 ra, southern part of Okinawa Island in 1910, in order to control Fukuji Dam the number of rats which ate sugar canes, and venomous Habu A couple of fence lines preventing 1910 snakes which harmed humans. mongooses from 1978 entering the Yambaru region 17 1978 English name：Small Indian Mongoose Northern front line of The only 17 mongooses has increased their popu- mongoose distribution lation and expanded their distribution to the north- 2Scientific name：Herpestes auropunctatus Released in Naha City and ward of the island. Nishihara-cho in 1910. 0 10 20 *Recently the Javan mongoose was scientifically km classified into two species: the Javan mongoose and small Indian mongoose. The mongoose intro- duced into Okinawa Island is the small Indian mon- Mongooses have entered a goose. Mongoose distribution forest ecosystem in Yambaru in reached to Ogimi-son by the Okinawa habu Tail length is nearly half Weight: Males ： 0.5 to 1kg; which the Okinawa Habu snake the size of total body length. Females ： 0.3 to 0.6kg early 1990s, then expanded is the top predator. Native ani- Native rats and to the Yambaru forests inhab- frogs, etc. mals in Yambaru are suitable ited by threatened animals. preys for mongooses, because Insects, etc. they have never adapted to pro- tect themselves from carnivorous Total body length：50 to 60 cm. Plants mammals. Distribution Original distribution of small Indian mon- gooses is very wide from Western Asia to Southeast Asia. They were introduced into Stomach and fecal contents analysis made it clear that Hawaiian Islands West Indies about 70 islands in tropical areas, including Okinawa Island mongooses fed on more than 30 animal species in Yamba- the Hawaiian, Fiji and West Indies Islands, Fiji ru, including insects, lizards, frogs, birds and mammals.
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