Near Nagano, Japan Photograph by Yasuharu Esaki   Eastern Asia: Western Honshu Island, Japan Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests   31,800 square miles (82,300 square kilometers) -- about the size of Maine Critical/Endangered

· Fur and Firs
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Fur and Firs

The hills of this snowy ecoregion are covered in trees, dwarf shrubs, and grasses that can withstand the harsh, wintry conditions. A few mammals have adapted to this climate as well. The Japanese macaques of this ecoregion, for example, make up the northernmost primate population in the world. They have developed denser fur and a larger body size than macaque species found farther south, which enable them to cope with the extreme cold and heavy snowfall.

Special Features

This ecoregion is located on the Sea of Japan side of Honshu and includes the Oshima Peninsula in southern Hokkaido. It consists of hills and mountains and is known for its long and snowy winters. A cold-temperate beech and subalpine fir forest, with an understory of thick, dwarf bamboo, is the dominant vegetation type outside of the Chugoku Mountains region. Tree species growing in this subalpine zone are fir and Japanese hemlock. Japanese beech forests border evergreens in the lower altitude areas. Because of climatic differences, the vegetation of this ecoregion is not as diverse as that found on the opposing Pacific side of Honshu.

	The Asiatic black bear looks a lot like the American black bear, but it has wider, more pronounced ears and a white- or cream-colored "V" on its chest. Strong limbs and sharp claws help this burly animal climb trees.

Wild Side

The mixed forests of the Shimokita Peninsula on Honshu’s northern tip are home to endemic Japanese serows, which inhabit the submontane deciduous forests. This goat-like mammal was once endangered, but since its main predator, the Japanese wolf, has become extinct, and because the serow has enjoyed protected status for decades, the serow population has recovered considerably--to the point that serows are considered to be pests in central Honshu. Another large mammal living here is the Asiatic black bear, which is facing local extinction due to hunting and habitat loss. Out of the 73 identified bird species, at least three are notable for breeding in this ecoregion: the golden eagle, Hodgson’s hawk eagle, and black woodpecker.

Cause for Concern

The primary deciduous forests of this ecoregion are almost completely depleted in Japan and have been replaced by conifer plantations. Thus the habitat range for large mammals and some populations are facing local extinction. Hunting and development are also major concerns.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.