The crocodilians are not the Japanese animals but formerly they were included in the fauna of our country as the estuarine crocodiles live in Palao Islands, Micronesia which were at that time under Japanese Mandate.
I found three examples, old and new, among the literature about the crocodiles which were found drifting in the neighbouring sea of Japan but the reason why they drifted this far is unknown.
The first crocodile was caught in 1744 off the coast of Iwojima I., Kagoshima Pref. It was presented to the then Feudal Lord Shimazu, the head of Satsuma clan. This was presumably an estuarine crocodile.
The second one was a crocodile caught at Amami-Oshima I., Kagoshima Pref. in February 1800. There exists a color painting of this crocodile made at that time from which I can clearly identify it as an estuarine crocodile.
The third one was caught in a fishing net off the Toyama Bay, Toyama Pref. in November 1932. This was perhaps the same species.
No live crocodilians were introduced in this country before the Meiji Era. But during the Taishô and Shôwa Era crocodiles, alligators and gavials were brought in one after the other to the zoo of Japan.
