Mammals
Only a handful of mammals managed to cross the landbridge from Kyushu during the last ice age. In addition to those listed below, you may run into the occasional stray cat, dog, or even a tanuki. . .Japanese deer
Cervus nippon yakushimae
Japanese: ヤクシカ (Yaku shika)
This is the second smallest recognized subspecies of
Japanese deer, with full-grown males weighing only 30 to 40
kg. They have no natural preditors, and as hunting has
declined, the population continues to increase by as much as
20% in three years. At present, there are an estimated 18,000
or more deer on the island.
They prefer to eat new shoots and foraging includes Trochodendron and Kalopanax trees. However, they are also known to eat non-plant matter including monkey feces and deer antlers that fall off before regrowing each spring. More info: KYUSYU Regional Forest Office.
2008.
http://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/kyusyu/yakusima_hozen_c/doubutu.html
(May 14, 2014 )
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Japanese macaque
Macaca fuscata yakui
Japanese: ヤクシマザル (Yakushima zaru)
This is the only recognized subspecies of Japanese
macaque. They are smaller and have darker fur than their
mainland counterparts. There are an estimated 8,000 monkeys on
the island.
More info: KYUSYU Regional Forest Office.
2008.
http://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/kyusyu/yakusima_hozen_c/doubutu.html
(May 14, 2014 )
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Japanese weasel
Mustela itatsi sho
Japanese: コイタチ (Ko itachi)
There are no squirrels on Yakushima, but you may
glimpse a small brown or black weasel.
More info: 中田隆昭. 屋久島、もっと知りたい自然編 2004:南方新社.
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Japanese/Temminck's mole
Mogera wogura
Japanese: コウベモグラ (Kobe mogura)
According to Wikipedia, this solitary, diurnal
animal can live up to 3.5 years in the wild. It is endemic to
Western Japan.
More info: International Union for
Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources:
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41467/0
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Mice
There are several species of mice including the endemic Yakushima small Japanese field mouse (Apodemus argenteus yakui, ヤクシマヒメネズミ)
and the large Japanese field mouse (Apodemus speciosus, アカネズミ), and the house mouse (Mus musculus), and supposedly some rats as well.
Species liste in: 中田隆昭. 屋久島、もっと知りたい自然編 2004:南方新社.
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Yakushima Shrew
Crocidura dsinezumi umbrina
Japanese: ヤクシマジネズミ (Yakushima jinezumi)
Shrews look like mice with a long snouts, or moles with long tails.
Yakushima's shrews are considered an endemic subspecies.
More info: 屋久島原生自然環境保全地域調査報告書 CONSERVATION REPORTS OF THE YAKU-SHIMA
WILDERNESS AREA, KYUSYU, JAPAN」(1983 年 環境庁自然保護局)
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Bats
There are several species of bats around, but I'll be the first to admit I don't know a thing about them.
I have seen what I can only assume were the endemic bats on the neighboring island Kuchinoerabu scaling trees like monkeys, though. More info: YNAC 陸棲動物図鑑 http://www.ynac.com/forest/animalindex/animalindex.html (May 19,2014)
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