Serious damage by wildlife and its conservation needs
In Hyogo Prefecture of Japan, conflicts between wildlife and humans have become more serious, such as agricultural damage caused by animals including sika deer, wild boars and monkeys, and scare of attacks by Japanese black bears.
　The total amount of agricultural damage almost reaches one billion yen.
　The other important issues include conservation of endangered species and measures against increasing alien species.

Towards successful wildlife management
WMRC strives to address issues above and promote the conservation and management of wild animals (Wildlife Management) with the goals and operations described below.

1. Prevention of agricultural damage and wildlife-related injuries of people
2. Development of rural areas with abundant natural resources
3. Renaissance of environment-friendly local culture to coexist with wildlife
4. Sustainable use of natural resources
5. Restoration of natural environments, including initiatives to manage habitat in forests
   for coexistence and biodiversity conservation

1. Establishment of the WMRC to secure a scientific basis for related activities
2. Development of the Wildlife Specialist System to facilitate the policy implementation
3. Set up of the Wildlife Management Council to ensure opportunities for public
   participation and consensus building

Mitigating wildlife damage in communities requires knowledgeable people to take initiatives for damage prevention and preparedness. The project supports this with effective tools for community training, systematic development of human resources, and establishment of model community in cooperation with stakeholders

Forests provide wildlife with habitats, as well as significant public functions for people’s livelihood.
　The project develops adaptive management methods to take full advantage of the public functions without disregarding roles of wildlife habitats.　

Sika deer cause serious agricultural damage and the decline of natural vegetation in the prefecture.
　The project monitors sika deer status and the damage, and appropriately manages its population based on the results of the monitoring and analysis.

Agricultural damage by Japanese macaques seriously affects the people’s livelihoods.
　The project monitors macaques and develops comprehensive damage prevention measures to meet the community needs. The project also develops damage prevention technologies including new guard fences and repelling by trained dogs.

Wild boars cause serious agricultural damage, while provide important hunting resources.
　The project develops and promotes methods to mitigate damage while utilizing and conserving them as hunting resources.

While sightings of Japanese black bears in people’s residential areas have been an issue, there are concerns over the risk of their local extinction.
　The project establishes risk management systems that achieve both damage prevention and its conservation.

Early action is crucial to secure biodiversity conservation and prevention of agricultural damages in the presence of alien species such as raccoons and nutrias.
　The project surveys and identifies their current status, and develops concrete measures against them.

Wild animals, hunted or controlled as problematic animals, provide important natural resources and should be effectively utilized without wasting it.
　The project collects and disseminates information to promote their effective resource use, rural development through appropriate use of wildlife as a gift from nature, and establishment of a society with efficient use of natural resources.

The project monitors the current status of rare species and develops their conservation measures.
　Genetic diversity is also assessed to check their status and stability.

Field research

• Biological research on wildlife (population density, tracking movement, collection of captured animals, etc.)
• Research on vegetation and natural environments, verification tests for habitat management
• Interviews and questionnaires (status of damage and prevention)

Laboratory experiments and analysis

• DNA analysis, age determination, checking of breeding and nutritional conditions

Data analysis

• Future projections of population trend and damage
• Assessment of extinction risk, etc.
• Assessment of habitat environments

Technical advices for prefectural policies

• Preparation of a draft Conservation and Management Plan for a Designated Wildlife Species, etc.
• Capture planning and hunting management
• Suggestions for habitat management methods

Support for people’s on-site operations

• Suggestions for effective damage prevention methods
• Advice on what to do for sightings of Japanese black bears, etc.

Provision of information

• Wildlife populations/habitats and actual damage
• Effective measures and methods
• Implementation status of conservation and management

To mitigate damage to agriculture and forestry, wildlife specialists support local community initiatives for damage prevention activities, and raise public awareness. They also support development of resilient communities to wildlife damage through their evaluation and advices on factors and environments in the community that may be attractive to wildlife.

Encroachment of wildlife has been a serious problem. Wildlife specialists cooperate and coordinate the stakeholders on-site. These specialists also advise on implementation of bear release with adverse conditioning and community initiative development for repelling.

Wildlife specialists facilitate the planning, its verification and consensus building among the stakeholders while reflecting the research outcomes of the WMRC into policy development.
Wildlife specialists also organize useful training sessions and seminars to secure and develop human resources for wildlife management throughout the prefecture.

Wildlife instructors provide on-site training for the improvement of core wildlife habitats and buffer zone development to mitigate wildlife encroachment, and a variety of monitoring surveys.

Wildlife instructors investigate damage caused by sika deer to artificial and natural forests and vegetation degradation, and advise how to prevent such damage.

Transportation to the WMRC by car / public transport

• Car: Five min. from Aogaki IC on the Kita Kinki Toyooka Expressway
• Bus: From Kaibara Sta. or Iso Sta. on the JR Fukuchiyama line, take the Shinki bus bound for
  Saji/Onaza and get off at Saji bus stop. It is a 20-min. walk from the bus stop.
• Bus: Zentan Bus (highway express bus)
  From Osaka or Kobe to Kinosaki Onsen or Yumura Onsen
  Get off at Aogaki IC. It is a 20-min. walk from the bus stop.