Environment Ministry To Add 11 Species to Japan's Endangered List

The Japanese Ministry of the Environment announced on June 8, 2004 that it would add the Amami rabbit and 10 other species to the national endangered species list under the Law for the Conservation of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and its enforcement ordinance.

Species on the list are protected from capture and trading. The law also aims to conserve the species by designating their habitats as sanctuaries and, where necessary, through breeding programs.

Four of the newly specified species include the Daito flying fox (which inhabits Minami-Daitojima Island in Okinawa Prefecture), the Amami rabbit (Amami Oshima Island and Tokunoshima Island of Kagoshima Prefecture), the Kissing loach (Kinki and Sanyo regions) and the Ogasawara azalea (Ogasawara Islands).

With the 11 species added, the total number of species on the endangered species list amounts to 73.



Posted: 2004/11/10 04:15:49 PM
Japanese version