Early in 1955, the International Union for the Protection of Nature, whose head office is in Brussels, Belgium, wrote a letter of inquiry to the Japanese member organization, the National Parks Association, in which they said that they wanted the animals and plants which were facing the danger of extinguishment, how the situation stood and what they were doing to protect them. In reply to it, the National Parks Association informed them that they were Common Otter
Lutra lutra lutra (Linné) and Yezo Sable
Mustela zibellina brachyura (Temminck et Schlegel)-mammal-; Japanese Stork
Ciconia ciconia boyciana Swinhoe, Japanese Crested Ibis
Nipponia nippon (Temminck), Tristram's Woodpecker
Dryocopus richardsi Tristram, Eastern Ring-dove
Streptopelia decaocto stoliczkae (Hume) and Steller's Albatross
Diomedea albatrus Pallas-fowl-;
Parnassius eversmanni daisetsuzana Matsumura-insect-.
Among the five species of fowl, Steller's Albatross are expected to have a hopeful future, as the measures of protection for them have fortunately proved to be effective. The same thing goes for Eastern Ring-dove, though not so hopeful as Steller's Albatross. As regards Tristram's Woodpecker in Tsushima Island, however, they are supposed to have died out rather than they are in the danger of extinguishment. Those which need measures of protection badly, are the Japanese Stork in Hyôgo Pref. (less than 20), and the Japanese Crested Ibis in Niigata Pref. and Ishikawa Pref. (less than 30).
The one which should be noted as well as the Japanese Crested Ibis, is the White Ibis
Threskiornis melanocephala (Latham). We would protect it if there were one, but in Japan, there remains none of them. There supposed to be very few of them in Riu Kiu and Formosa. It is clear, when referring to the old records, that they had come as summer visitants to the Mainland of Japan-chiefly to the southern part of Kantô Area-and seem to have had their own breeding place before the Meiji Era. Namely, before the Meiji Era, they are supposed to have lived, built their nests and bred in Sagiyama (that means Egrets' Hill), Noda, Saitama Pref., together with some species of Egret and Night-heron. Egrets in Sagiyama are in good condition, and they have now come up to 10, 000 in number, being a speciality of the place. White Ibis, however, have disappeared entirely, and we miss them very much. Although we do not know exactly the reason of their disappearance, it might have driven them out of our country that they were shot directly they had come into man's sight, together with the fact that originally there were not so many that had come over to Japan. A stuffed skin of White Ibis which was caught in Kameido on Jan. 22, 1883 is kept in our institute, and this is considered to be the last White Ibis which was caught in Tokyo. It must be noted, however, that the members of the Japan Bird-lovers' Association caught in their sight on May 23, 1954, near the shore of Shinhama, Chiba Pref., a White Ibis flying toward them and flying off. Although this species has now almost no connection with Japan, yet it makes us very happy to see one of them come this way on an unexpected occasion
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