How to Protect Both Crops and Wildlife?
In Japan as in other countries, the concern for crops is balanced by concern for the environment, and for wild birds and animals
Controls Over Hunting of Wildlife
Farmers in Japan trying to protect their crops often come up against laws designed to protect wildlife. n Japan, almost 10% of the total land area is a special reserve where it is forbidden to hunt wild birds and animals. In the remaining areas there are some protected species, but otherwise hunting is permitted for three months during winter.
Outside this three-month hunting season, permission is needed from the Prefectural Government to hunt wild animals or birds. Permission is only granted if the animals and birds concerned are doing some kind of damage.
Gun-owning laws in Japan are very strict. Gun permits are issued only by the police, and have been given to only 250,000 people (out of a population of123 million). Because of the restrictions, the number of people with gun permits is falling and their average age is increasing. Hunters are not allowed to use mist nets which birds cannot see from the air.
Damage to Crops from Wildlife
Under the current wildlife protection laws, therefore, it is very difficult to hunt wild animals and birds in Japan. Damage to crops by wildlife in Japan is increasing. Most of the damage is from crows and other birds. Deer, monkeys and wild boar are less of a problem, although they still between them devastate several hundred hectares of cropland each year.
Most of the damage is done by animals eating the crops, although wild boars sometimes like to roll in wet paddy fields. Crows have been known to destroy vinyl houses in order to reach the crops inside. Areas near mountains are the worst affected, but this includes 40% of Japan's total agricultural area!
Electric fences are a good way of protecting crops, but they are expensive.
Index of Images
Figure 1 Papaya Crop Being Attacked by Formosan Blue Magpie.
Figure 2 Formosan Macaque in Mango Orchard
