Domestic cats (Felis silverstris catus) have a serious impact on the native ecosystem on Amami-Oshima Island, Japan, and cat regulations have been enacted by all five municipals to protect native species including endangered species,. A survey was conducted to examine the differences between cat owners and non-owners in the attitude toward cat problems and toward the regulations introduced by Amami City, the largest municipal and to consider the acceptable cat management on the island. We conducted a questionnaire survey for 1,000 randomly selected citizens via mail and additionally for cat owners visiting a pet hospital in Amami City during December 2013-January 2014. The number of effective responses was 378, and the cat owners comprised 14.6% of the responders. About 70% of both owners and non-owners recognized the regulations, and about 75% of the cat owners put collars on their cats according to the regulation. However, the cat owners clearly showed more tolerance to the cat problems and were less supportive of the regulations and indoor keeping of cats, compared to non-owners. The results suggest that improving the owners’ knowledge and attitude toward problems that outdoor cats cause is most important to implement effective cat regulations on this island.

The brown dipper Cinclus pallasii was censused along 1,137 transects (2km in length) situated in 1,008 quadrates (4.5×5km), in Hokkaido from late April to late July, 1976-2017. To describe distribution map, distribution data of brown dippers were obtained additionally from spot census results and literatures. For a total of 1,608 quadrates, distribution data were obtained. Brown dippers were distributed in mountainous areas, occurring in 19.0% of 1,608 quadrates. They occurred mainly in forests with running water from 20m to 1,100m in altitudes and occurrence rates (No. of transects of occurrence/No. of transects censused) was 49.5%.

Stomach contents of the Amur hedgehog Erinaceus amurensis, which has been designated as an invasive alien species under the Invasive Alien Species Act in Japan, were investigated. During July-November in 2007, 2008 and 2012, 113 animals in total were captured at three golf courses and one park in Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Most of the stomach contents was ground-dwelling insects. The average number of food items found in the contents of an individual was 3.2±1.3 (SD). Larvae of Lepidoptera (81.4%), including Spodoptera depravata which are known as a lawn pests, consisted largest proportion of the stomach contents. Coleoptera (74.3%), Carabidae (15.0%), and Scarabaeidae (17.7%) also occupied a large portion. As an opportunistic insectivore, monthly fluctuation in the stomach contents reflected food availability in the habitat. The amount of stomach contents increased from sunset to dawn, indicating that the animals were searching for food throughout the night.

Artificial bat roosts (tubular type, roof type, wall type) were installed inside an abandoned tunnel in Yubari Shuparo dam, Hokkaido, Japan from 2009 to 2010 and their use was examined. Bat feces were identified on all of the roosts, and in September 2009 an individual was found to be resting in the tubular type roost. Three roost types are useful for bats, but the roof type and wall type were more likely used as night roosts. Additional consideration of artificial roost structure in terms of the bats’ thermal and cover needs is necessary, as is information on how bats use roosts in the field.

We investigated the effect of forest area decrease on the home range of the Siberian flying squirrel Pteromys volans in an urban forest stand in Hokkaido, Japan. Two females each were radio-tracked before and after the deforestation. Home range was 2.7 ha before alteration for both squirrels, and 1.4ha and 1.9ha after alteration. Home ranges of the two squirrels overlapped. After the deforestation, Siberian flying squirrels also used the forest area (windbreak forest and riparian forest) which had not been used by flying squirrels.

We investigated the usability of a time-lapse camera to confirm the inhabitation of Pithecops fulgens tsushimanus. Five cameras targeting the sucking plants or hosts were set at 20-second-interval shot for 39 days in 3 forest stands on Tsushima Island. Adults were identified on 629 photos out of a total number of about 270,000 photos. At the expanded shot interval of 60 seconds, the detection rate of the image dropped to 26.5%, while the detection rate of the visit showed a modest decline, 68.8%. The shot interval was considered to be extendable for the survey of inhabitation. Three possible factors to help identify the adults were suggested ; known plant species for suckling and laying of eggs, relatively long staying time on plants, and specific pattern on wings.

The influence of rainfall on trail camera photo capture rates of small- and medium-sized mammals was investigated at the Tanzawa Mountains in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Out of 6,029 camera/days, 40.1% was with some rainfall. Analysis of total 554 shots indicated that the total photo capture rate of no rain days (8.5 shots per 100 camera/day) was not significantly different from that of rainy days (10.3 shots per 100 camera/day). Photo capture rates by species also did not show significant differences.