Herping in Japan

[Nathan]

Hi all,

I will be visiting my brother in Japan this April. I'd like to check out the wildlife while I'm there. I'd be grateful for any info you could give me regarding:

good herping and other wildlife spots (preferably on Honshu, I don't think I'll be able to travel to the other islands)

rules and regulations (I don't want to take anything home, but I want to know when and where it's OK for me to flip rocks or net in creeks, etc)

good field guides

etc.

Thanks!

 

[freves]

About 10 years ago I spent a month in Kumommato (sp?) on Kyushu. Unfortunately I did not have the same interest in Asian salamanders then as I do now so I made no special effort to locate any. I was also there during the winter. I can tell you that much of what I saw was unfortunately heavily polluted however there are still some pristine areas left. There was a fellow named Tim that used to frequent this forum often however I have not seen him post for several years now. He lives(ed) in Tokyo if I remember correctly. Search through some of the older Tylototriton threads and you may still be able to send him a message. Good luck and have fun! I loved Japan.
Chip

 

[Nathan]

Thanks, Chip!

 

[santa]

I live in Japan.

About Rules
It is in a very regrettable thing and there is no clear rule concerning the herping in Japan. Ther is only manners it is. (There is a prohibition ordinance in capture. )
･It doesn't enter the privately owned area.
･The natural product is not ruined. It returns it.
･Never touch the natural treasure(Like Andrias japonicus/Hynobius boulengeri...etc).

About Places
I am awfully sorry.
I fear the thing opened to the public on the Web site very much,
because the newt and salamander in Japan is on the verge of the edge of extinction.
And, the place where the living body can be observed is very few.

I am wishing that there is happily your Japan stay!!:happy:

 

[Nathan]

Thanks, Santa! I understand your wish to not share sensitive herping sites. I think I will try to contact a biologist at one of the universities on Honshu for further information.

 

[taherman]

You might try contacting Sumio Okada. He has been very active in Andrias research for many years and is a very friendly guy.

Here is his webpage, though I don't know if the contact email is still current:
http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~herpsgh/theandras.html

Google might help you find more info. Good luck!
-Tim

 

[Nathan]

Thanks Tim! Much appreciated.

 

[froggy]

Good luck with the trip! Please post pics of anything you find when you are back.

As an aside, to echo Santa's concerns, please note that the forum rules prohibit the divulgence of exact localities for finding animals in the wild. As a caudate-loving community, we do not want to provide this information to people who might use it to collect animals commercially.

Chris

 

[Nathan]

I understand completely. I was merely hoping for more general directions to areas with high wildlife and habitat diversity or abundance, the equivalent of "the southern Blue Ridge mountains" or "south Florida", for example. I will try to glean such info from field and travel guides.

I will certainly post pictures when I return!