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Iriomotejima Wildcat

Page history last edited by PBworks 16 years ago

Iriomotejima

-A part of the Yaeyama islands, Okinawa. Part of the "galapagos of the east."

-Although the island has an area of 177 square miles, the population is only 2,325.

-Most of the island consists of subtropical jungle and mangrove swamps.

-ontains the Urauchi river, the longest in Okinawa,considered the "Amazon of Japan."

-Originally settled by coal miners; malaria drove them out.

--US Forces eliminated malaria after WWII; now economy consists of tourism, agriculture.

-Despite its remote location, it is becoming more popular every year; tourism rose 33% in 2007, for a total of 405,646 visitors.

-Becoming a more popular place to live as well; residents increased by 22% despite the fact that overall, rural populations are declining in Japan.

Wildcat (Yamaneko, or "mountain cat")

-Discovered in 1967 by Dr. Imaizumi of the National Science Museum in Tokyo

, believed to be descended from a species of Asian Leopard and has lived on the island over 200,000 years.

-In 1977 it was declared a national Japanese Treasure.

-No mice on the island; eats anything: wild boar, shrimp, birds, box turtles, amphibians, and shrimp.

-Live 12-16 years.

-Today, less than 100 survive.

Problems

-So rare that many scientists who study the wildcat have yet to actually see one.

-Compete with feral cats for food; housecats can also transmit diseases.

-Difficult to preserve because of the popularity of Iriomotejima as a tourist attraction; cats are attracted to forest edges, low-lying coastal areas which are outside protection areas.

-Starting in 1979, scientists provided domestic chickens at 20 sites; however, the cats began to rely on them as a source of food and will attack farmer's chickens.

-Agriculture, cattle-raising projects threaten habitat, as well as hotel and dam plans

-Upon the discovery of the cats, a German feline specialist proposed to make the entire island a nature preserve, forcing the entire population to relocate.

-Not surprisingly, many people who live on the island are not too fond of the cats.

-Some elderly residents who have never seen a wildcat deny its existence.

“I think they’re just house cats that ran away

and are living in the mountains.” ––Kimiaki Fujiwara, 78

A lot of work has been done to make the public

aware of the threat to the wildacat.

This two-lane road remains one of the greatest threats to the Iriomote wildcat because it runs through

lowlands, the wildcat's primary habitat. On average, three wildcats become roadkill each year. Warning signs

outnumber the wildcats themselves, and "zebra-zones" on the road force the driver

to slow down. 85 "Eco-road" underpasses underneath the roads have been built to further decrease roadside

fatalities.

In Popular Culture

-The wildcat is featured on a show/manga called Azumanga Daioh, about six high school girls. They travel to Irioimotejima on vacation and find a kitten yamaneko. Later, after the kitten's mother dies, he follows them to Tokyo. They name him Yamamayaa, or "Mayaa" for short.