Research and Popularization, for Dormouse Bridge and Animal
Pathways as Corridor for Protecting Arboreal Animals
⇐
Shusaku Minato1)2)3)4), Koichi Otake 4), Kazuaki Iwamoto4)5), Manami Iwabuchi1)2)4), Haruka Aiba1)2)4) ,
Shinji Oda4)6), Hiroyuki Komatsu4)6), Yoshiharu Sato2)4), Junko Sechibaru2)4) and Pat Morris7)
What is the
Japanese dormouse,
Glirulus japonicus ?
Black line
・Japanese natural monument
・Weight : about 18 g
・Arboreal animal, Hibernator
Animal-pathway
Animal-pathway
Japanese dormouse use it !
Conclusion
Aim to study
Fragmentation（1996)
Purpose : Securing Corridors
1) Animal pathways are essential for the conservation
of arboreal animals including dormice, wood mice,
flying squirrels, squirrels and marten.
2) The Animal pathways ought to be low-cost,
maintenance-free, easy for animals to pass.
3) Animal pathways that even small construction firms
can build anywhere.
4) They help to maintain habitat connectivity in
fragmented landscapes.
Dormice were almost cerntainly killed and
isolated by winter logging.
Avoidance Prevention of road-kill
of inbreeding and maintenance of
depression
population
StudyⅠ（1998)：
Dormouse bridge
4 cm
Securing
continuity of
habitats
Device
Animals passed & bred
Expensive!
①
②
Parus minor
1) Protection from natural enemies using wire mesh
2) Nest boxes installed as place to rest
3) Planting 300 trees for foraging and nesting around the bridge.
4) Dead branches used to connect the bridge to the forest
StudyⅡ（2004)：
Animal-pathway
Length : 13.6 m
1) Low price
2) Low maintenance cost
3) Secure safety
$200,000 (USD)
A. argenteus
Most Japanese small arboreal
animals use the pathway !
Device
Rope for
running
Glirulus japonicus
Aluminum roof from
enemies and icicle
Shelter from
enemies
Height : 6.4 m
This type is approx.
Sciurus lis
Glirulus japonicus
④
③
①
P.Momonga
②
1) The support poles at each end were wrapped with bark in order
for animals to climb easily.
2) Paths made of branches and ropes were placed over the
distance between the poles and the forest.
Results
A. argenteus
Sciurus lis
M. m. melampus
Dissemination (2016)
● Price down →approx. $20,000~50,000 (USD)
● Confirmation of usage
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
Further activities
20%
☆ Increase number of
installation sites
☆ Effective dissemination
activities
10%
0%
square
tube
roof
floor
branch
& leaf
frame
pipe
nest box
rope
shelter
Squirrel
2
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
Japanese marten
4
2
15
2
1
3
0
0
1
Small Japanese field mouse
0
6
1150
109
18
244
354
24
361
Japanese dormouse
9
2
227
24
21
153
43
19
6
Literature
P. Morris, S. Minato (2012) Wildlife bridges for small mammals. British Wildlife,153-157, February.
S. Minato, M. Iwabuchi, A. Haruka, K. Ohtake, P.Morris (2012) Helping (Japanese) Dormice to cross the road. Oryx (46) 325-326.
1)KEEP
Dormouse Museum, Hokuto, Yamanashi 407-0301, Japan, 2)Japanese Dormice Preservation & Research Group, Hokuto, Yamanashi 407-0301, Japan,
Management System Assessment Center, 6)Shimizu corporation 7)Former Chairman of the Mammal Society, West Mains, Ascot SL5 7DG, UK.
3)Kwansei
Gakuin University, Nishinomiya Hyogo 662-0827, Japan,
4)Animal
Pathway ＆ Wildlife Association, Nerima-ward, Tokyo, 187-0064, Japan,
5)