Conservation Efforts
Efforts to eradicate feral goats have been led by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Ministry of the Environment, and Ogasawara Village on the Minamijima Island, Higashijima, Mukojima Island Group, Nishijima, Anijima, and several other islands. Feral goats are responsible for the destruction of forests on the Mukojima Island group. Eradication has been successful on Ototojima Island since November 2010, where no goats have been spotted since its eradication. On Minamijima and Mukojima Islands, the removal of feral goats has led to the recovery of endemic plants like Ixeris longirostra, Cirsium boninense, and Hedyotis grayi.
Feral cats have been managed by the Ogasawara Cat Liaison Committee starting in 2005. They were launched by governmental organizations and nonprofit organization to capture feral cats at Minamizaki on Hahajima Island, a seabird breeding round, and at Mt. Chuosan-Higashidaira on Chichijima Island, a breeding site for the endemic Japanese wood-pigeon, Columba janthina nitens. The captured feral cats are transported to mainland Japan to be trained and adopted. Feral cat-proof fences have also been installed to keep the cats from hunting endemic birds and their nesting grounds. This has been successful in protecting the wedge-tailed shearwater (Puffinus pacificus) at Minamizaki. The Ogasawara Village also enacted the Ordinance for Proper Husbandry of Household Cats, which mandates that all household cats must be properly taken care of and implanted with a microchip.
Feral cats have been managed by the Ogasawara Cat Liaison Committee starting in 2005. They were launched by governmental organizations and nonprofit organization to capture feral cats at Minamizaki on Hahajima Island, a seabird breeding round, and at Mt. Chuosan-Higashidaira on Chichijima Island, a breeding site for the endemic Japanese wood-pigeon, Columba janthina nitens. The captured feral cats are transported to mainland Japan to be trained and adopted. Feral cat-proof fences have also been installed to keep the cats from hunting endemic birds and their nesting grounds. This has been successful in protecting the wedge-tailed shearwater (Puffinus pacificus) at Minamizaki. The Ogasawara Village also enacted the Ordinance for Proper Husbandry of Household Cats, which mandates that all household cats must be properly taken care of and implanted with a microchip.
The Ministry of the Environment has been making efforts to eradicate black rats on Anijima, Ototojima, Higashijima, Nishijima, and Mukojima through toxic bait that was dispersed by helicopters. The elimination of black rats have restored many bird populations, land snails, and vegetation.
Breeding grounds have also been created by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan to increase the populations of short-tailed albatrosses, Phoebastria albatrus, and black-footed albatross, Photebastria nigripes. This has been crucial because the only known breeding grounds of the short-tailed albatross are on Torishima Island and Senkaku Island. Decoys and audio-mimicking devices have been used to attract the short-tailed albatross from Torishima Island onto the Mukojima Island Group, where albatrosses once bred.
The Ministry of the Environment has also been in charge of eliminating bullfrogs and feral pigs since 2004 and have effectively eradicated them on Ototojima Islands since 2008. They were both eradicated at the same time because solely getting rid of feral pigs would have increased the bullfrog’s population, creating a greater threat to the dragonfly population. Artificial ponds have also been built to create breeding sites for dragonflies.
Breeding grounds have also been created by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan to increase the populations of short-tailed albatrosses, Phoebastria albatrus, and black-footed albatross, Photebastria nigripes. This has been crucial because the only known breeding grounds of the short-tailed albatross are on Torishima Island and Senkaku Island. Decoys and audio-mimicking devices have been used to attract the short-tailed albatross from Torishima Island onto the Mukojima Island Group, where albatrosses once bred.
The Ministry of the Environment has also been in charge of eliminating bullfrogs and feral pigs since 2004 and have effectively eradicated them on Ototojima Islands since 2008. They were both eradicated at the same time because solely getting rid of feral pigs would have increased the bullfrog’s population, creating a greater threat to the dragonfly population. Artificial ponds have also been built to create breeding sites for dragonflies.
In order to prevent future introduction and spread of alien species, efforts have been made by the local governments. Those who take the ferry to the Ogasawara Islands are banned from bringing any plants, animals, soil, or goods with soil and must brush their feet on mats to remove soil before disembarking. These brush mats and sticky rollers are placed to remove small insects, seeds, soil, and spread of the alien predatory flatworm that can be attached to shoe soles, clothes, and belongings. In addition, at the port of Chichijima, sticky traps have been placed to eliminate green anoles and prevent them from being spread to other islands through ships.
Bischofia was brought to be used as firewood and charcoal and has pressured and crowded out native endemic trees.The Forestry Agency and the Ministry of the Environment have worked to successfully eliminate Bischofia on Ototojima and Hirajima Islands. Casuarina, another alien tree specie, has crowded out native species and has been eliminated by the Forestry Agency and Ministry of the Environment.
Ecotourism and a lifestyle that is in harmony with nature have been promoted by the government and local organizations. Ecotourism has cultivated greater interest and awareness of the natural environment and increase desires for conservation.