2004 WORLD HERITAGE LIST NOMINATION ● JAPANseaweed. It is considered that this unique distribution is a result of thefollowing conditions: the southern shift of the Soya warm current insummer; the southern shift of the East Sakhalin Current (cold current)
in winter; and the both currents end up approximately in this area. Whilethe coastal waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula belong to the temperatezone in terms of seaweed distribution, it can be classified as a boundary
temperate zone strongly influenced by cold currents.
The coastal waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula are also habitats for somerare seaweeds. Cymathaere japonica (listed as “Rare” on Fisheries
Agency Data book: R, FA Data book) is an isolated species with a limited
distribution range. The domestic habitat is limited to the coastal area of
Rausu town (Kawashima, 1994). Akkesiphycus lubricum is a primitive
type of kelp, which is found only in a limited area. The southern limit forthis species is in Kushiro, eastern part of Hokkaido. In 1944, it was foundin Akkeshi and later, in 1968, distribution near Shiretoko Peninsula wasconfirmed (Kurogi, 1968; Kurogi and Yamada, 1970).

3a. 6 Animals
Description

The nominated site supports a diverse population of animal species,
combining northern species from Sakhalin and southern species from
Honshu. In addition, almost all the terrestrial mammals and birds that
historically inhabited Hokkaido are preserved at the nominated site due
to its pristine virgin nature.
3a.6. 1 Terrestrial mammals
Terrestrial mammals that inhabit the Shiretoko Peninsula are classified
in six orders, 12 families and 35 species (Shiretoko Museum, 2000).
Among them, three species of one family of Chiroptera are listed as
Endangered (EN) or Lower Risk (LR) in the IUCN Red List, and further
five species of the same family and one species of Insectivora, total ofnine species of two orders, are listed as Endangered (EN) or Vulnerable(VU) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment.
The topography of the Shiretoko Peninsula is complex and there arevarious types of vegetation within a narrow range of altitudes from thecoastline to the mountain peaks of approximately 1,600 meters above sea

Brown bear Ursus arctos photo by Shiretoko Nature Foundation42

level. In addition, terrestrial mammals can utilize both the products fromforests and sea. Thus, the potential food supply is diverse. For example,
in autumn before the hibernation, brown bears Ursus arctos rely upon
salmon and trout which swim upstream, in addition to nuts such as
acorns. The bears’ food items amount over 90 types of plant and animal
materials. The population of red fox Vulpes vulpes schrencki in the area isunique in the sense that they rely on a larger amount of marine products
such as fish (Tsukada, 1997). Overall, there is little human disturbance.
Therefore, the Shiretoko Peninsula provides an untouched and richhabitat for terrestrial mammals. This is reflected in the home range sizeof the wildlife. Home range size tends to become smaller with theincrease in quality of the habitat. The home range of adult female ofbrown bears in the Shiretoko Peninsula is a mere 15 square kilometers
on average and it is one of the smallest in the world (Table 3-1).

Red fox Vulpes vulpes schrencki
photo by Ministry of the Environment

2 ＊

Area

Home range size (km )Number of samples

Citation

North America, the continental divide area

315

26

Canfield and Harting, 1987

Canadian Rockies

167

19

Canfield and Harting, 1987

Alaska, inland

132

6

Canfield and Harting, 1987

Alaska, peninsula

290

30

Glenn and Miller, 1980

Kodiak/Afognak Islands

27

48

Canfield and Harting, 1987

Sweden307

8Friebe et al., 2001

Hokkaido, Oshima Peninsula

34

2Mano, 1994

Hokkaido, Shiretoko Peninsula

15

13

Yamanaka et al., 1995

*Mean annual home range size

The high densities of large mammals such as the brown bear and Yezo
sika deer Cervus nippon yesoensis also indicate that the Shiretoko
Peninsula is a high quality habitat for terrestrial mammals. The
estimated density of brown bears in the Shiretoko Peninsula ranges
from 7.3 to 14.1 bears per 100 square kilometers (Aoi, 1981) to an
estimate suggesting a minimum of 35 bears per 100 square kilometers(Yamanaka et al., 1995). These figures are comparable to those inKamchatka (8.1 to 13.0 bears/100 km2; Revenko, 1998) which is a highdensity area. Thus, the Shiretoko Peninsula has one of the densest
populations of brown bears in the world. Furthermore, Yezo sika deer, atypical southern origin species (Nagata, 1999), is the largest subspeciesof the sika deer C. nippon distributed from Vietnam to Far East Asia
(Kaji, 1988). Its density is high in the Shiretoko Peninsula (Okada, 2000).

Yezo sika deer Cervus nippon yesoensis
photo by MACHIDA Yasuyoshi

3a.6. 2 Marine Mammals
Since 1980, two orders, nine families, 22 genera and 28 species of marine
mammals have been identified in the coastal area of the Shiretoko
Peninsula (Pinnipedia: one order, two families, five genera and sevenspecies; Cetacea: one order, seven families, 17 genera and 21 species) (e.g.
Naito, 1973; Ohtaishi and Nakagawa, 1988). Among them, two orders,seven families, nine genera and 10 species (Pinnipedia: one order, twofamilies, two genera and three species; Cetacea: one order, five families,
seven genera and seven species) are found year-around or seasonally (e.g.
Ohtaishi and Saito, 1981; Ishinazaka and Uni, 2000).

43

Description

Table 3-1 Home range sizes of adult female of brown bears in the Shiretoko Peninsula and other areas of the world

2004 WORLD HERITAGE LIST NOMINATION ● JAPAN

There are six species of important marine mammals, which are frequently
found in the nominated site and the surrounding waters. They are theSteller sea lion Eumetopias jubatus (EN, IUCN Red List and VU, MoE Red
List), larga seal Phoca largha, ribbon seal P. fasciata, harbor porpoise
Phocoena phocoena (its ecological behavior is unknown), minke whale
Balaenoptera acutorostrata, and sperm whale Physeter catodon. The largest
number of Pinnipedia in Japanese waters, including all seven species of
Pinnipedia existing in Japan, were found in the coastal waters of theShiretoko Peninsula (Naito, 1973; Ohtaishi and Saito, 1981).
The sea ice is important for the feeding, resting and breeding of marine
mammals, since the coastal waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula are rich infood and the ice that covers the sea in winter provides protection frompredators and waves. Therefore, the area is a globally significant as animportant habitat of marine mammals.
The following are the brief descriptions of some important species;

Description• Pinnipedia“Steller sea lion Eumetopias jubatus”
The coastal waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula are one of the areas where
the largest number of Steller sea lions migrate along the coastal area of
Hokkaido. They need this area to winter and feed, therefore the area isessential for maintaining the Steller sea lion population. The visiting pod
usually consists of some 100 individuals, mainly female (Ohtaishi and
Saito, 1981; Yamanaka et al., 1986; Ohtaishi and Wada, 1999). Somemales visit the area but most are pregnant females that have mated insurrounding waters of Kamchatka and Kuril Islands (Ishinazaka andEndo, 1999; Ohtaishi and Wada, 1999; Gentry, 2000). These sea lions
gather along the near-shore waters about one kilometer from the coast(resting area) or along the edge of the continental shelf near theisobathymetric line of 200 meters in depth (feeding area) (Goto andShimazaki, 1998).
“Larga seal Phoca largha and ribbon seal P. Fasciata”
The coastal waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula are an important
breeding and feeding site for larga seals, ribbon seals and their pups. In
particular, the area is the most southern habitat for ribbon seals. It is

Pod of female Steller sea lions Eumetopias jubatus photo by KURASAWA Eiichi

44

Male Steller sea lion Eumetopias jubatus photo by ISII Eiji

estimated that the numbers of larga seal and ribbon seal are 13,000 and
3,000 respectively, on the Hokkaido side of the Sea of Okhotsk during
March and April (Mizuno et al., 2002). The larga seal is mostly
distributed near the coast, while the ribbon seal tends to stay offshore.
These seals mate and give birth on the sea ice around the Shiretoko
Peninsula (Naito and Konno, 1979; Hammill, 2000; Mizuno et al., 2001).
As the sea ice covers the ocean surface, it provides an excellent refuge
for the seals from predators such as killer whales Orcinus orca. The time
when the pups wean and begin foraging in the water coincides with thespring bloom of phytoplankton triggered by the sea ice melting. Because
the krill which is a major food item for the pups increases by feeding on
the phytoplankton during this period, the pups are able to utilize thisrich and nutritious food.

Killer whale Orcinus orca photo by KURASAWA Eiichi

Description• Cetacea
There are seven species commonly distributed in the coastal waters
within six miles (approx. 11 km) off the Shiretoko Peninsula, including
the waters of the nominated site; harbor porpoise, Pacific white-sided
dolphin Lagenorhynchus obliquidens, Dall’s porpoise Phocoenoides dalli,
killer whale, minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata, Baird’s beaked
whale Berardius bairdii and sperm whale Physeter catodon. In addition,some species are infrequently found, such as gray whale Eschrichtius
robustus (Asian subpopulation: EN, FA Data book), sei whale
Balaenoptera borealis (EN, IUCN Red List), humpback whale Megaptera
novaeangliae, and short-finned pilot whale Globicephala macrorhynchus(Tappanaga) (e.g. Kawamura, 1981; Nishimoto, 1985; Kawamura, 1986;
Kato, 1992; Uni, 1998).
Little is known about the habitat of the harbor porpoise and therefore
this area is an important site where they can be found frequently. In
addition, two rare and little-known beaked whales Mesoplodon
ginkgodens, and M. carlhubbsi have been discovered in the coastal watersof the Shiretoko Peninsula (Ishinazaka and Uni, 2000).
The coastal waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula are important for theabove cetaceans not only as a feeding and breeding site but also as aroute in their seasonal migration. The four species of cetaceans (harbor
porpoise, Pacific white-sided dolphin, Dall’s porpoise and killer whale)often congregate in this area for breeding and raising their young. In
particular, the area is the only confirmed breeding site in the west
Pacific Ocean for Dall’s porpoise which is declining in number. (Amanoand Kuramochi, 1992; Ferrero and Walker, 1999).
3a. 6. 3 Birds
Factors such as complex topography, diverse types of vegetation and thepresence of seasonal sea ice around Shiretoko provide various habitats
for birds and consequently, the avifauna of the Shiretoko Peninsula isrich in variety. In addition, due to the abundant food supply and virginforests, the peninsula is an important wintering and breeding site for
species such as Steller’s sea eagle Haliaeetus pelagicus (VU, IUCN Red
List), white-tailed eagle H. albicilla (LR, IUCN Red List), and Blakiston’s
fish-owl Ketupa blakistoni blakistoni (EN, IUCN Red List). In thenominated site, these three species and black woodpecker Dryocopus
martius are designated as Natural Monuments (protected species, see4c.5) due to their high scientific value identified.

45

2004 WORLD HERITAGE LIST NOMINATION ● JAPANThe vertical distribution of flora supports a wide range of birds, frommontane species such as great tits Parus major and (Japanese) bush
warblers Cettia diphone to alpine and subalpine species such as the(Eurasian) nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes , arctic warbler
Phylloscopus borealis and red-flanked bushrobin Tarsiger cyanurus.
Grassland birds such as stonechat Saxicola torquata, Siberian meadow
bunting Enberiza cioedes, skylark Alauda arvensis can be seen in thegrasslands at the tip and among the sand dunes at base of the peninsula
as well as on the top of cliffs.

Description

Black woodpecker Dryocopus martius
photo by AOKI Noriyuki

While there are no large lakes in the peninsula, there are several smalllakes and marshes located in various places within the mountain range.
Waterfowl such as mallard Anas platyrhynchos, mandarin duck Aix
galericulata, little grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis and falcated duck Anas
falcata breed at the Shiretoko-goko lakes and Lake Rausu. The rivers
are short with many rapids and waterfalls, excellent habitats for speciesof wagtails, common and greater pied kingfishers Alcedo atthis andCeryle lugubris, and brown dipper Cinclus pallasii. In addition, it has
been reported that the Blakiston’s fish-owl inhabits the midstream to themouth areas of small and mid-size rivers. There are sea cliffs higher
than 100 meters above sea level all along the coast from Utoro on thewestern side of the peninsula to Shiretoko Cape and these cliffs are
breeding grounds for seabirds such as the Japanese cormorantPhalacrocorax capillatus, slaty-backed gull Larus schistisagus andspectacled guillemot Cepphus carbo (Nakagawa, 1988). In particular, thearea is one of the top breeding grounds for Japanese cormorant(Nakagawa, 1981).
Migratory birds which visit the coastal waters of the Shiretoko Peninsulain spring or autumn include large flocks of short-tailed shearwaters Puffinus
tenuirostris, red-necked phalarope Phalaropus lobatus and fulmar
Fulmarus glacialis.
In winter, there is abundant zooplankton and fish in the water
surrounding the sea ice area and this attracts a large number of sea
ducks and auklets. Flocks of Ross’s gull Rhodostethia rosea which
inhabits the Arctic Circle have visited the area following the southward
expansion of sea ice (Nakagawa, 1988).
Juvenile long-billed murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus perdix which
is a subspecies of the marbled murrelet B. marmoratus (VU, IUCN Red
List) has been observed on the coastal waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula(Nelson et al., 2002). This species usually spends its life on the ocean andonly appears on land to nest in the treetops of tall inland forests.
As described above, there have been 18 orders, 50 families and 264
species of birds recorded in the Shiretoko Peninsula, reflecting the wide
range of habitats provided by the diverse environment (Nagata, 1956;
Japanese Society for Preservation of Birds-Kushiro chapter, 2001;
Shiretoko Museum, unpublished). While there are few species which
belong to the snipe family and heron family due to the lack of large
lakes, marshes and tidalflats, the diverse avifauna of the area includes
49 percent of the 542 species recorded in Japan.

46

Among the bird species recorded in the Shiretoko Peninsula, Japanesenight heron Gorsachius goisagi (EN, IUCN Red List), Japanese crane
Grus japonensis (EN, IUCN Red List), Blakiston’s fish-owl (EN, IUCNRed List), Baikal teal Anas formosa (VU, IUCN Red List), Steller’s sea
eagle (VU, IUCN Red List), Japanese yellow bunting Emberizasulphurata (VU, IUCN Red List), white-tailed eagle (LR, IUCN Red List)
and Japanese waxing Bombycilla japonica (LR, IUCN Red List) are listedon the IUCN Red List. In particular, the Shiretoko Peninsula is a very
important habitat for the Blakiston’s fish-owl, Steller’s sea eagle, andwhite-tailed eagle.

Description

There are two subspecies (Ketupa blakistoni blakistoni and K. b.
doerriesi) of Blakiston’s fish-owl, and even on a species level, it isestimated that there are less than 1,000 owls left in the entire world(BirdLife International, 2000). In particular, there is a concern that thesubspecies Ketupa blakistoni blakistoni is endangered as there are only
200 owls in Hokkaido, Kunashiri, Etorofu and Sakhalin (Shari town and
Rausu town, 1999). It is estimated that approximately 120 of them
inhabit Hokkaido, which is their only habitat in Japan (Ministry of theEnvironment, 2002), and approximately a quarter of this population isfound in the Shiretoko Peninsula (Takenaka, 1999). As it is a fish-eating
owl which needs forests with large tree cavities to nest, the Shiretoko
Peninsula is an important habitat since it has a dense fish population(Takenaka, 1999) and well preserved forests containing trees with large
cavities.
Steller’s sea eagle is a large eagle which breeds only in far eastern partsof Russia, mainly in northern Eurasia. It is estimated that the number ofthe eagles is as low as 5,000 (BirdLife International, 2000). In someyears, more than 2,000 Steller’s sea eagles winter at the Shiretoko
Peninsula (Working Group for White-tailed Eagles and Steller’s Sea
Eagles, 1988) and the location is a globally important wintering site forthis magnificent bird.
With regard to the white-tailed eagle, more than 10 pairs breed in the
Shiretoko Peninsula every year. Reflecting the abundant food source, thedensity of mating pairs is high (Shari town and Rausu town, 1999) as
well as the high number of fledged chicks (Shiraki, 1997). Up to 600
white-tailed eagles have been recorded at the site in winter (Working
Group for White-tailed Eagles and Steller’s Sea Eagles, 1988), and thepeninsula is a globally important wintering location for the species. In
autumn, both Steller’s sea eagle and white-tailed eagle feed upon thesalmon which swim upstream (Ueta et al., 1999) and in winter, they hunt
walleye pollack Theragra chalcogramma. Consequently, the eagles play
an important role in ecosystem circulation from sea to land.
3a. 6. 4 Reptiles and Amphibians
Two orders, five families and seven species of reptiles as well as twoorders, three families and three species of amphibians have beenrecorded by August 2003 in the Shiretoko Peninsula (Shiretoko
Museum, 2003). Among them, the Ezo salamander Hynobius retardatus,
Ezo brown frog Rana pirica and Japanese five-lined skink Eumeces
latiscutatus are species endemic to Japan. In addition, the leatherback
turtle Dermochelys coriacea is listed as endangered species (EN, FA Databook).

Ezo brown frog Rana pirica photo by AOKI Noriyuki

47

2004 WORLD HERITAGE LIST NOMINATION ● JAPANDespite the cold climate, fauna in the nominated site includes theJapanese four-lined snake Elaphe quadrivirgata and Japanese grass
lizard Takydromus tachydromoides which are relatively rare in
Hokkaido, as well as the Japanese mamushi Agkistrodon blomhoffii
which had only been identified in the coastal area by the Sea of Japanand the Hidaka region. Their presence is likely to be due to the effects of
the warm geothermal temperature from volcanic activity (Ohtaishi,
1988).

Description

3a. 6. 5 Fishes
Twenty-nine orders, 79 families and 255 species of fishes have beenrecorded in the freshwater system of the Shiretoko Peninsula and its
coastal waters (Shiretoko Museum, 2003). The freshwater fish fauna in
the Shiretoko Peninsula is characterized by the fact that many of thespecies such as salmon are dependent on the sea. In addition, thepeninsula is the only Japanese habitat for the sea-run form of dolly
varden Salvelinus malma as well as being its southernmost habitat in
the world. The coastal waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula are mainly
populated with northern fishes. However, due to the Soya current whichis the only warm ocean current in the Sea of Okhotsk, there are many
species of fishes usually only seen in tropical and subtropical seas. As aresult, the Shiretoko area is unique within the Sea of Okhotsk in termsof the fish fauna.
3a. 6. 5. 1 Freshwater fishes

By 2003, eight orders, 12 families and 42 species of fish have beenrecorded in the rivers in the Shiretoko Peninsula (Komiyama and
Takahashi, 1988; Komiyama, 2003). Twenty-eight species, approximately
70 percent of the total number of species, are diadromous fish (i.e. fishthat spend a part of their life cycle in the sea). The proportion of suchspecies is higher in the nominated site than at the base of the peninsula.
There are few freshwater fish (i.e. fish that spend their entire life in
freshwater) at the tip of the peninsula (Shimoda et al., 1993).
Six species of salmonid species naturally reproduce in the rivers of theShiretoko Peninsula (Komiyama, 2003). This represents half of thesalmonid species occurring in the waters of the Sea of Okhotsk. In
addition, there are three other salmonid species found in the rivers of theShiretoko Peninsula. The rivers play an important role as a spawningand wintering area for these nine species. Sea-run forms (which migrate
to the sea and return upstream to spawn) have been confirmed for all ofthese nine salmonid species (Komiyama, 2003), indicating the close
integration of the land and sea ecosystem. Furthermore, sincedevelopment and water pollution in coastal areas elsewhere on the Sea of
Okhotsk is negatively affecting the marine ecosystem (Murakami,
2003), the Shiretoko Peninsula is becoming more important as a key
breeding area for these species.

48

Dolly varden Salvelinus malma
photo by SUZUKI Yoshifusa

As mentioned above, sea-run forms have been found for all salmonid
species in the Shiretoko Peninsula. In particular, the Shiretoko Peninsula
is the only habitat in Japan and the southernmost habitat in the world forthe sea-run form of dolly varden (Komiyama and Takahashi, 1988; Sharitown and Rausu town, 1999; Rausu town, 2001). The distribution of dolly
varden in Hokkaido is usually limited to the upstream areas and thespecies is land-locked. However, at the Shiretoko Peninsula, the species

is distributed throughout the river from the source to the mouth. It is
known that the distribution of dolly varden is restricted by the watertemperature. In one river, it has been found that the distribution islimited to areas where the maximum summer water temperature is lessthan 16 degrees Celsius (Shimoda et al., 2003; Taniguchi et al., 2002).
The existence of forests along the river bank is imperative forpreventing the rise in water temperature, maintaining a cool river watertemperature of around 15 degrees Celsius (Komiyama, 2003). It issuggested that the well preserved forests on the river banks in the
Shiretoko Peninsula maintain the distribution of dolly varden in theentire river basins. In addition, these forests supply organic matter andas a result, rivers in the Shiretoko Peninsula which run through forestsfrom upstream areas to the river mouths provide excellent habitats for
freshwater fishes (Komiyama and Takahashi, 1988).
3a. 6. 5. 2 Marine fishes
Fringed blenny Chirolophis japonicus photo by KURASAWA Eiichi

Description

Despite being close to the shore, the topography of the ocean floor at the
tip of the Shiretoko Peninsula forms a steep slope and the sea can be as
deep as 2,000 meters in some areas. The coastal waters of the Shiretoko
Peninsula are affected by the warm Soya current in summer. On theother hand, the sea is covered with ice in winter and the significant
change in oceanic conditions is a unique characteristic of the area.
Twenty-six orders, 74 families and 223 species of fish have beencollected from the coastal waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula (Nakagawa
and Nobetsu, 2003). The major taxonomic groups of fish including themost dominant Cottidae, are fishes which are mainly distributed innorthern Japan and higher latitudes (Nobetsu et al., 1998; Nakagawa andNobetsu, 2003). It is suggested that the composition of species reflect
the cool water temperature of the area and the effects of the sea ice inwinter.
While approximately 70 percent of the total number of species consistsof northern fishes which are mainly found in subarctic oceans, some 14
percent consists of species distributed over a wide range of climates andHypsagonus proboscidalis photo by KURASAWA Eiichi

49

2004 WORLD HERITAGE LIST NOMINATION ● JAPANapproximately another 14 percent consists of southern fishes mainly
found in tropical and subtropical seas. Therefore, the area is unique insupporting a varied fish fauna which includes both northern andsouthern species (Nobetsu et al., 1998; Nakagawa and Nobetsu, 2003).
The effect of the warm Soya current, which covers the surface layer ofthe coastal area from spring to autumn, and warming of the surface
water temperature to exceed 20 degrees Celsius from late August to
early September, is suggested as a basis for the diverse fish fauna.
With regard to the proportion of northern and southern fishes in theshallow waters and the waters under 200 meters, wide distribution andSouthern fish species number approximately 35 percent in shallow
waters while the corresponding figure is approximately 15 percent inwaters more than 200 meters deep (Nakagawa and Nobetsu, 2003). The
difference indicates that the southern fishes rely on the warmer Soyacurrent which flows on the surface of the sea.

Description

As mentioned earlier in the section on freshwater fishes, the salmonid
species are an excellent example of the diverse fish fauna in the coastal
waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula. Ten species of salmonid fish havebeen found in the coastal waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula and amajority of the 13 species in the Pacific Ocean and 12 species in the Seaof Okhotsk are represented in this group. Consequently, the coastal
waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula are globally recognized as an areawith a large variety of salmonid species and as a key migration route.
3a. 6. 6 Insects
The Shiretoko Peninsula is an area with a large variety of insects. Thisis due to the complex topography, wide range of altitudes and various
natural environments, including many lakes, marshes and moors as well
as differences in local climates, all contributing to the formation ofcomplex habitats. While the entomofauna consists mainly of northern
species, there are southern species (e.g. Polyphylla laticollis, Scarites
aterrimus) due to the warm Soya Current (Hori, 2003).
In the Shiretoko Peninsula and the surrounding area, there are morethan 2,500 species of insects (Hori, 2003) including approximately 1,850
species of moths (Kawahara and Hayashi, 1996; Kawahara and Matsuda,
1998; Kawahara et al., 2001) and more than 500 species of beetles(Nishijima et al., 1985 and Haga, 1996). Among them, there are species
for which Shiretoko is the only habitat in Japan and species that wererecorded first in here, such as Bryophila orthogramma, Leptocarabus
kurilensis ssp. rausuanus and Polygraphus shariensis. Also, Vaciniina
optilete daisetsuzaana, a northern-type butterfly, is designated as a
Natural Monument due to its high scientific value for the country.

Vaciniina optilete daisetsuzaana (Natural monument)
photo by ISII Eiji

50

Insects play an important role in transporting the nutrients of the ocean
to the land. Aquatic insects such as stoneflies, sedges and midges formcolonies and decompose the carcasses of salmon and trout after they
have swum upstream and spawned (Ito and Nakajima, 2003). The
nutrients from decomposed carcasses make river water and riverbank
soils eutrophic, and enhance the growth of plants and other aquatic
animals. In addition, the aquatic insects become the diet of fish in theriver, thereby playing a major role in the food chain.

3a. 7 Utilization of natural resources
The natural environment of the nominated site is mostly conserved withlittle intervention by human activities. Natural resources in thenominated site and its surrounding areas are mainly utilized by thefishing and tourism industries.
The fishing industry uses set nets, gill nets and aquaculture in coastal
waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula. The major marine resources
harvested are salmon and trout, sagittated calamary Todarodes pacificus,
walleye pollack Theragra chalcogramma and kelp. There have been
almost no changes in production volume as well as the CPUE (catch perunit of effort) in the last ten years for most of fisheries resources.

Description

The level of catches in the fisheries operating in the coastal waters of
the Shiretoko Peninsula are supported by the high production level ofthe sea. To achieve sustainable use of these marine resources, fishery
activities are controlled by the Fisheries Law and other related laws,
regulations issued by Hokkaido prefectural government, voluntary
restrictions by the fishery industry, as well as an artificial production
and fry release program for salmon and trout (see also “5a. Development
Pressures”).
With regard to the tourism industry, there are approximately 2.34
million visitors (in 2001) to the Shiretoko Peninsula in one year. Summer
is the high season for tourists, but some 300,000 people come to see thesea ice in winter (January to March). Popular tourist activities include
nature walks to the Shiretoko-goko lakes and Kamuiwakka, trekking
around Lake Rausu, sightseeing from Shiretoko pass and climbing in the
Shiretoko mountain range. Nature sightseeing from the sea on tour
boats is another popular attraction and the annual number of passengers
on these boats can reach 160,000 (in 2002).
There are no forestry activities aiming for timber production within the
National Forests which account for 95 percent of the nominated site.
However, there are some forest management activities, such as planned
tree thinning which takes into account the surrounding naturallandscape, in a small scale private forest within the site.

3b. Human history and development
Human inhabitants first appeared on the Shiretoko Peninsula
approximately 10,000 years ago. About 1,200 years ago, there was an
ethnic group of ocean hunters from the continent who had migrated
southward down the Hokkaido’s coastline of the Sea of Okhotsk.
Approximately 800 years ago, these people were absorbed andassimilated in another ethnic group which inhabited the entire island of
Hokkaido. This is suggested as the origin of the Ainu people (Gouchi,1981).
Thereafter, there is little evidence of human intervention at theShiretoko Peninsula until 130 years ago and The Ainu culture, where
hunter-gatherers utilized nature’s bounties from the sea and mountains,51

2004 WORLD HERITAGE LIST NOMINATION ● JAPANpersisted at the Shiretoko Peninsula with little evidence of humanintervention until 130 years ago (Ishigaki, 1994). The Ainu people
worshiped nature and revered brown bear Ursus arctos, Blakiston's fishowl Ketupa blakistoni blakistoni and killer whale Orcinus orca as theirgods. They developed a culture of treasuring the affluent nature. It is
assumed that the population density on the Shiretoko Peninsula wasextremely low, for the total Ainu population of the entire Hokkaido area
was only twenty to thirty thousand at the end of the Edo period. The
map of the Shiretoko Peninsula from the Edo period (1854) lists a
detailed description of Ainu place names that indicate that the Ainu had
a comprehensive understanding of the peninsula. The name Shiretoko isderived from the Ainu word “sir.etok” which means “the end of Mother
Earth.”In the Meiji period (from 1869), the development pressure on the naturalenvironment of Hokkaido was intensified, but in the Shiretoko
Peninsula, human intervention was difficult because of its harshconditions. Development of the inland area of the peninsula began in1914 and additional attempts were made to settle the area in 1935 and1949. These three attempts ended in failure and all settlers abandoned
their land by 1966 (Murata, 1994).

Description

In the first half of the 1960s, construction of the Shiretoko Forest Road
and Shiretoko Crossroad began in succession. In 1964, Shiretoko wasdesignated as the twenty-third National Park in Japan in accordancewith the Natural Parks Law. The park was realized through the visionand strong opinions held by the members of the Natural Park Council(Ministry of Health and Welfare) at that time. The botanists and othercouncil members insisted that it was necessary to designate the area as anational park before the natural landscape, flora and fauna of theShiretoko Peninsula were exploited by tourism development. Therefore,
the national park was established with a clear policy to “conserve thevirgin nature” and it remains the Japanese national park with thestrongest emphasis on nature conservation. Later, in 1980, theOnnebetsudake Wilderness Area was designated, followed by the
National Wildlife Protection Area and Forest Ecosystem Reserve in1982 and 1990 respectively. These nature conservation programs for
Shiretoko Peninsula far exceed the level of conservation implemented inother natural protected areas (Ohtaishi et al., 1988; Shari town and
Rausu town, 1999).
Furthermore, movement called “The Shiretoko 100 Square-Meter Forest
Trust” was started in 1977. Driven by a determination to conserve
nature, the local communities and municipality initiated this action by
preventing the redevelopment of abandoned settlement areas andrestoring the virgin forests. The movement developed as the first major
scale National Trust conservation program in Japan, whereby privately
owned lands have been repurchased with the aim of restoring thenatural ecosystem (See also 3d.) (Table 3-2).
As a result of these measures to conserve the natural environment,
virgin wilderness still exists throughout the Shiretoko Peninsula.

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Year

Events1790

Fishermen from Honshu island began fishing in the area. Their catches
consisted mainly of herring, salmon and trout.

1912

Settlers entered the Utoro area. Settlements were also built in
Iwaobetsu area in 1914.

1925

All settlers in the Iwaobetsu area abandoned their homesteads.

1937

Resettlement of Iwaobetsu area.

1949

Construction of Utoro fishery port started. Inauguration of Fisheries
Cooperative. Modern fishing operations started.
Large-scale colonization started in Iwaobetsu area based on the postwar emergency land cultivation plan.

1962

Construction of Shiretoko Forest Road started.

1963

Construction of Shiretoko Crossroad started. Lighthouse completed atCape Shiretoko.

1964

Shiretoko Peninsula was designated as the twenty-third National Park.

1965

Black woodpecker was designated as a Natural Monument.

1966

All farming community left Iwaobetsu area. End of settlement activity
in this area.

1967

Vaciniina optilete was designated as a Natural Monument.

1969

Shiretoko Forest Road opened.

1970

Steller’s sea eagle and white-tailed eagle were designated as
Natural Monuments.

1971

Blakiston’s fish-owl was designated as a Natural Monument.
Shiretoko Tourist Boom. Annual number of visitors to the National Park
exceeds one million.

1972

Enactment of Shari town Nature Protection Ordinance. Shari town
became one of the first municipalities to establish ordinance for nature
protection.

1974

Shari town and Rausu town jointly signed the "Shiretoko Charter."

1977"The Shiretoko 100 Square-Meter Forest Trust" started in the Shiretoko
National Park.

1978

Shiretoko Museum opened.

1980

Designation of Onnebetsudake Wilderness Area.
Shiretoko Crossroad opened. In order to prevent the destruction ofnature, the road was restricted to transit use and development of large
facilities along the road was prohibited.
"The Shiretoko 100 Square - Meter Forest Trust" achieved first-stage
goal (120 hectares).

1982

Government designation of Shiretoko National Wildlife Protection
Area. The second largest national wildlife protection area in Japan.

1983

Rausu Visitor’s Center opened.

Description

Table 3-2 Chronology of Human Activities

1986-1987 Logging in the national forest within Shiretoko National Park attracts
nationwide attention.
1988

Shiretoko Nature Center opened. Shiretoko Forest Center opened.
Formation of Shiretoko Nature Foundation.

1990

Designation of Shiretoko Forest Ecosystem Reserve.

1991

Partial opening of new Utoropeleke port.

1994

Acquisition by Hokkaido prefecture of private lands within the
National Park.

1997"The Shiretoko 100 Square-Meter Forest Trust" achieved its target.
"The 100 Square-Meter Forest Movement Trust" started. The trust aims
to regenerate virgin forests and natural ecosystems.

2001

Actions such as the renewal of the Shiretoko Wildlife Protection Area
resulted in enhanced levels of conservation including expansion ofprotected areas.

2004

Expansion of Shiretoko Forest Ecosystem Reserve. (In process)Traditional Ainu boots made from salmon skinphoto by Shiretoko Museum

53