Sparrows Could Become Endangered in Japan
Sparrows and many other species of birds and insects that are considered common in Japan are rapidly declining in number, and could become endangered, according to a recent report.
The report, by Japan's Ministry of the Environment and The Nature Conservation Society of Japan, is based on data collected between 2005 and 2022 from 325 countryside locations across the country.
The data showed that of the 106 species of bird that were recorded, about 15% are decreasing at a rate of 30% or more every 10 years. And of the 103 species of butterfly that were recorded, a third of them are decreasing at the same rate.
The report notes that the sharp decline in wildlife is not a problem that Japan is facing alone. According to the Living Planet Report 2024 by the World Wide Fund for Nature, species of wildlife across the world declined by 73% between 1970 and 2020.
One of the causes of wildlife decline in Japan is also a global problem: climate change. The Japanese report says the decrease in birds, insects and plants is usually worse where the temperature increase has been greater.
However, another cause is more particular to Japan. According to the report, wildlife species are rapidly declining in a type of open countryside known in Japan as satoyama.
Satoyama is a Japanese term for the traditional landscape around mountain villages, which typically includes a mix of farmland, ponds, forests and grassland. When properly managed, these areas are very productive, and they also create a rich variety of habitats for wildlife.
As more and more people leave the countryside, such satoyama landscapes are no longer being managed, which leads to a greater decline in wildlife there.
On a positive note, the report says that citizen volunteers across the country are working hard to conserve satoyama and preserve wildlife. However, the report also says that such efforts are not receiving enough financial support.
