An important aspect of managing wildlife is understanding local residents' perceptions toward wildlife. We surveyed the perceptions of various residents toward wildlife values and their opinions about wildlife management in rural eastern Aichi, central Japan. Of 250 respondents, 64% raised "ecological" value of wildlife for society, while 76% raised "psychological" value for themselves, and both values were positively correlated. Only 16% raised "consumptive" value for themselves. The ecological value of wildlife was most frequently cited in young women and middle-aged men, and there wae no difference between farmer and non-farmer. Factor analysis of the 24 animal statements identified 3 scales of definition of wildlife ; domestic, naturalistic and totalistic. The preferred approaches to alleviate wildlife-caused damage were "population control" (43%), "protecting by fences" (39%) and "tolerating damages" (36%). Those individuals who preferred "protecting" and "tolerating" were more likely to raise ecological and psycological value. This study has provided evidence that there is the necessity to incorporate public perceptions into management policy to cope with a diversity of values and opinions shared by the public in Japan.

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We conducted a survey of small terrestrial mammals by collecting samples from nine locations in southern Sakhalin, during the summer months of 1994 and 1995. Target animals included both murid and soricid species. "Panchu" kill traps and pitfall traps were used to capture animals. Most murid species captured were Apodemus peninsulae, Clethrionomys rutilus, and C. rufocanus. In addition, an individual of Myopus schisticolor was collected. Soricid species captured include Sorex gracillimus, S. unguiculatus, S. caecutiens, and S. daphaenodon.

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This paper analyzes the expansion of sika deer (Cervus nippon) wintering ground in relation to global warming in Nikko, central Honshu, Japan. The sika wintering ground of 1993-1994 expanded toward snowy areas compared to that of 1980-1982, and the sika density increased both in new and traditional wintering grounds. Information on snow accumulation and winter deer distribution was collected by interviewing seven local inhabitants; they stated that snow accumulation decreased from more than 100 cm before the 1970s to less than 30 cm by the 1980s in Oku Nikko, and that sika deer were found to winter there since about 1985. Long-term warming trends and the shortening of the winter season were shown by records of air temperature and snowfall between December and March at the two meteorological stations in and out of the study area, the Nikko Weather Station (1944-1994) and the Utsunomiya Local Meteorological Observatory (1891-1994). The increase of average air temperature of December was obvious. It is concluded that recent snow decrease in Nikko is most likely a result of global warming, and that this probably has enabled sika deer to expand their wintering ranges toward snowy areas.

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Southeast Asia has vast areas of peat swamp. We will focus on the tropical swamp forest in Thailand from the ecological point of view and consider possibilities for establishing a sustainable land use system, through the restoration of the natural ecosystem. As the tropical peat soil has traditionally been considered sterile and has a short history of agricultural usage, there is little know-how about sustainable land utilization through agriculture and silviculture. Based on studies and experience in Thailand, the degradation process of the ecosystem and its rehabilitation possibilities will be discussed in this paper.

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