Zoo Stock Species and the Red List
Zoo Stock Species and the Red List
Zoo Stock
This indicates that the species is included in the Second Zoo Stock Plan, which was formulated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in 2018. The plan sets goals for the next 10 years in three areas: "species conservation," "contribution to wildlife conservation," and "environmental education and conservation awareness." 124 animal species are included.
What is the Red List?
Based on scientific research, this is a list of wildlife classified by rank (category) indicating the degree of risk of extinction.
Livng Things Encyclopedia shows the categories (mainland and islands) assessed by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) at the global level, the Ministry of the Environment for Japan, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government for Tokyo.
The higher the category in each table, the higher the risk of extinction, and CR, EN, and VU are the three categories known as "endangered species." In Tokyo, species that are not at the NT (near threatened) level but are relatively rare are considered "species of concern."
|
IUCN categories |
|
|---|---|
|
EX |
extinction |
|
EW |
Extinction in the wild |
|
CR+EN |
— |
|
CR |
Serious crisis |
|
EN |
crisis |
|
VU |
emergency |
|
NT |
Near Threatened |
|
LC・○ |
Low Concern |
|
DD |
Data shortage |
|
LP |
— |
|
Japan (Ministry of the Environment) Category |
|
|---|---|
|
EX |
extinction |
|
EW |
Extinction in the wild |
|
CR+EN |
Endangered species |
|
CR |
Critically Endangered |
|
EN |
Endangered species |
|
VU |
Endangered species |
|
NT |
Near Threatened |
|
LC・○ |
— |
|
DD |
Lack of information |
|
LP |
Endangered |
|
Tokyo Category |
|
|---|---|
|
EX |
extinction |
|
EW |
Extinction in the wild |
|
CR+EN |
Endangered species |
|
CR |
Critically Endangered |
|
EN |
Endangered species |
|
VU |
Endangered species |
|
NT |
Near Threatened |
|
LC・○ |
Unranked |
|
DD |
Lack of information |
|
LP |
Endangered |
Creatures at Tama Zoo
Creatures at Tama Zoo
Japanese Mole
Mogera wogura
Japanese Mole
Mogera wogura
It is a species endemic to Japan. It spends most of its life underground, so it is a creature that is close by but rarely seen. It is larger than Small Japanese Mole. It digs tunnels underground and patrols and repairs the tunnels while preying on earthworms and other creatures that stray into them. It has a strong sense of territory and lives alone. Molehills are formed when the soil excavated during tunnel digging is brought above ground, and molehills can often be seen from autumn to winter as the species moves to deeper areas to prepare for the cold. It does not hibernate. It mainly breeds in the spring and gives birth to 2-6 young. Its lifespan is said to be about 3 years.
| classification | Mammalia, Soricidae, Talpidae |
|---|---|
| English name | Japanese Mole |
| distribution | Japan (central Honshu (Shizuoka, Nagano, Ishikawa) and south, Shikoku, many islands in the Seto Inland Sea such as Shodoshima, Kyushu, the Oki Islands, Tsushima, the Goto Islands, Tanegashima, Yakushima, etc.) |
| Residence | Grasslands, farmlands, and mountain forests |
| Size |
Head torso length 125-185mm
Tail length 14.5-27mm Weight: 48.5-175g |
| food | Insects, earthworms, gymnosperms, leeches, frogs, plant seeds, etc. |
| Red List |
IUCN: LC (Least Concern)
|
Front legs
Their strong clawed front feet, with a wide, sickle-shaped toe on the outside of their big toe, allow them to scoop up a lot of soil, and only their wrists extend beyond their body, allowing them to dig efficiently.
hind legs
There is another finger-like protrusion on the outside of the big toe, which is thought to increase the surface area of the hind legs and allow them to efficiently shovel the soil that they have dug up with their front legs.
tail
They have short tails with tentacles that help them sense what is behind them.
body hair
Its soft, velvety hair grows vertically from its body and has no whorl. The hair can be folded forward or backward so that it can move smoothly back and forth inside the tunnel. Its abdomen has hair that is a stronger reddish color than Small Japanese Mole.
eye
Their small eyes, covered by thin skin, cannot see very well, but they can distinguish between light and dark.
nose
They use the tip of their nose, which is packed with nerves that sense vibrations, and the long, thin tentacles that grow around it to check their surroundings.
Moles "cultivating the forest"
Moles not only patrol the tunnels they have dug, but also frequently dig new tunnels. This allows the soil to absorb a lot of air and become softer. This increases the activity of microorganisms and small animals in the soil, and makes it easier for plants to spread their roots deep into the ground. Soft soil also stores a lot of moisture and nutrients, which promotes plant growth. If plants grow well, it will eventually become a forest, attracting a variety of living creatures. It is thought that moles' behavior is one of the factors that contribute to maintaining the rich ecosystem of forests.