2020 Volume 8 Pages 25-32
Currently, several solar power plants have been constructed in wetland areas in Kushiro National Park without prior environmental impact assessment, as it was not required by the relevant laws in Japan. We surveyed abundance of individuals and egg sacs of the threatened Siberian salamander (Salamandrella keyserlingii) at a solar power plant site, prior to, during (2015-2016), and after (2017) its construction. We confirmed the presence of adults (n = 5 in 2015, n = 3 in 2016, and n = 1 in 2017), and metamorphs (n = 8, only in 2016) as well as egg sacs (n = 11 in 2015, n =37 in 2016, n = 36 in 2017) of this species during the survey period. For habitat conservation, we suggested the following measures to solar power producers: 1) installation of photovoltaic panels in the salamander's main habitat area should be avoided, and 2) the main habitats should be preserved as habitat “conservation area.” The solar power producers agree to implement our suggested conservation plan, and it was decided that we would monitor the salamander population– in this site for the next several years. We believe that this endeavor, supported jointly by producers and conservationists, sets a valuable precedent for the conservation of salamanders in areas with solar power plant construction.
