Sea Turtle Art Show – Okinawa, Japan

Posted on July 29, 2017 by Admin11

Please come out to the Sea Turtle Art show on August 12th, 2017. The event will take place at the Okinawa Brewing Company at 2:00-6:00 pm. We will have original artwork, prints, and postcards for sale. This is a collaboration with local artists to bring awareness to sea turtle conservation and what you can do to save our oceans. Part of the profits will be donated to sea turtle conservation and related causes.

* CJ and friends will be performing live music for the event.

Turtle art show

Baby sea turtle making the journey to the ocean. Okinawa, Japan.

Baby sea turtles leaving the nest – Photography by Shawn Miller

The beautiful sea turtles of the Ryukyu Islands

Green Sea Turtle -Photography by Shawn Miller

Our trash is becoming a serious problem on our shorelines. All of us can do better to reduce our waste and protect out natural environment.

Trash on our shorelines -Photography by Shawn Miller

I often find single-use items washed on our shorelines. Plastic bags, forks, spoons, pet bottles, straws, razors, medicine prescription containers, flip-flops, hair combs, toothbrushes, bento boxes, Styrofoam, shotgun shells, and rope are the common items washed ashore.

Beach trash – Crabs with beach trash homes by Shawn Miller

The event turnout was better than expected. A big thanks to all that supported the event and to the contributors and local artists.

A few photographs of the event –

Turtle art show “The wall of art “

Turtle art show -Okinawa, Japan

Turtle art show – Pollution print

Turtle art show – Laowa 12mm F2.8 D dreamer perspective

Good times at Okinawa brewing company-

People often ask me what is the purpose of conservation photography? Having the ability to affect some form of positive change in the environment and make a global difference with the photographs. Hopefully, the images will inspire people to care more about nature and make a positive difference in the environment.

Have a great day!

Ryukyu green snake – Reptiles of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

Posted on July 18, 2017 by Admin11

The Ryukyu Green snake (Cyclophiops semicarinartus)

is a non-venomous snake found throughout the Ryukyu Islands They are fairly common here on Okinawa. I often find them in the Yanbaru forest. They are harmless and pose no threat to your safety.

- Scientific name: Cyclophiops semicarinartus

- Local name: Ryukyu Ao Hebi – Ryukyu Green snake

- Distribution: Ryukyu Islands

- Habitat: Forests and grasslands

- Diet: Earth worms

- Average size: 60cm -80cm

Color: Olive green with a yellow belly

Ryukyu Green snake (Cyclophiops semicaricartus) © Shawn Miller

Ryukyu Green snake closeup

There’s a snake on my snake boot! I highly recommend wearing snake boots while herping in northern Okinawa. Check out my post on venomous snakes of Okinawa for more info.

Snake boot – Ryukyu Green snake (Cyclophiops semicaricartus) © Shawn Miller

A juvenile Ryukyu green snake interested in the Canon 100mm 2.8 lens.

Ryukyu snake on the Canon 100mm macro lens © Shawn Miller

The snakes are sometimes found crossing the road a night.

Headshot- Ryuyu Green snake © Shawn Miller

Ryukyu Green snake – Amami Island

Ryukyu Green snake (Cyclophiops semicaricartus) © Shawn Miller

My son holding a juvenile Ryukyu Green snake. This friendly snake was on display to educate the youth. Yanbaru Wildlife Center.

Ryukyu Green snake

The Ryukyu Green snake feeds on earthworms, no need to kill it.

Road Kill – Ryukyu Green snake and beetles © Shawn Miller

My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands

This site is also designed to help people identify the beautiful animals of Okinawa, basically to serve as an online nature reference guide. If you would like to make a contribution to support my mission, please click on the donation link paypal.me/maketheswitch4nature

Your donations will help worldwide conservation initiatives and bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines. Thank you for your support. Shawn M Miller.

Worms with tongues ! Blind snakes of Okinawa

Posted on July 15, 2017 by Admin11

The Brahminy bind snake (Ramphotyphlops braminus) is a non-venomous snake found throughout the Ryukyu Islands. They are fairly common here on Okinawa. I often find them in drainage ditches, on roads and sidewalks. These small snakes are overlooked and mistaken for worms.

Scientific name: Ramphotyphlops braminus
Local name: Mekurahebi – Brahminy Blind snake
Distribution: Ryukyu Islands
Habitat: Forests, Grasslands and sugar cane fields
Diet: Termite pupae and ant larvae
Average size: 15cm -21cm
Color: Dark brown

Blind snake -Okinawa, Japan

What is the main difference between the blind snake and a worm ?

The blind snake has scales, a split tongue and a backbone (vertebrate)
Worms have soft skin with ring like segments called annuli and lack a backbone (Invertebrate)

A photograph of a large earthworm (Pontoscolex sp) I found on Kume Island.

Unidentified earthworm - MYN and under Blue light Kume Island

Unidentified earthworm (15-22cm) Kume Island

The blind snake is the only know snake to be parthenogentic throughout its entire life. The female lays fertile eggs without the need of a male to fertilize the eggs. This is why the blind is so successful in establishing populations.

This small snake is also know as the flower pot snake, thriving in backyard flower pots and gardens.

Flower pot snake -Okinawa

The blind snake produces a powerful foul smelling odor to deter predators when threatened. I found this out by picking the snake up to remove it off the road.

Blind snake -size perspective

The blind snake has a modified sharp pointy tail used for anchoring and as a defense mechanism when attacked .

Blind snake tail

All the blind snakes I have seen on Okinawa are dark brown. My friend Paul found these blind snakes under a rotting log. This was my first time seeing a blue color form.

bind snake color forms

This week I found three dead blind snakes in Kin village. The warm weather (91-93 Fahrenheit) is drying out the top layer of soil and pushing the snakes out on the pavement.

Blind snake -dried from summer heat

Get-Familiarized with the Nature of Okinawa! – – – SUBSCRIBE BELOW

My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands

Your donations will help conservation initiatives as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines. Thank you for your support, Shawn M Miller.

#MakeTheSwitch4Nature

The Coconut Crab – Terrestrial hermit crabs of the Ryukyu Islands

Posted on July 5, 2017 by Admin11

Coconut crabs are the largest terrestrial hermit crabs of the Ryukyu Islands. They are scarce on the Island of Okinawa due to over-hunting. They are sold in local fish markets for high prices. The meat of the coconut crab is sought after and considered a delicacy. No conservation programs are set in place to protect this native crab. It is currently listed as data deficient on the IUCN list of Threatened species.

Scientific name: Birgus latro
Common name: Coconut crab, robber crab and palm thief
Distribution: Majority of the Ryukyu Islands
Habitat: Coastal forest
Diet: Seeds, fruit and carrion
Average size: 20-40 centimeters
Color: Purple, blue or orange

How to tell the difference between a coconut crab and a hermit crab. They look very similar to the blueberry hermit crab at first, but the coconut crab has protective spines near its eyes. Hermit crabs do not have these spines since they have adapted to retreat into a shell to protect their eyes. The coconut crab does not depend on a seashell as it gets larger. I still have yet to find a juvenile coconut crab adapting with a seashell.

Terrestrial hermit crabs live in the coastal forest where the treeline and coastline meet. They are the caretakers of the coastal forest. They mainly feed on plants, flowers, fruits, and seeds in the treeline. They also help disperse seeds in the forest, specifically the screw pine tree seeds.

Pandanus trees with spiky sword-shaped leaves provide a perfect environment for the Coconut crabs to thrive.

A juvenile climbing on Pandanus tree searching for food.

Okinawa’s harsh limestone coastline. The female must make the journey over this rough terrain to lay her eggs in the ocean.

Photographed on a white portable outdoor studio for the Meet Your neighbours project. ( Connecting people worldwide with the wildlife in their community )

In the 1970’s and 1980’s, taxidermy was popular in the Ryukyu Islands. I still find coconut crabs displayed on walls in restaurants and hotels.

Meet Crabzilla! – The most aggressive crab I have encountered on Okinawa. Coconut crabs are fearless and have bone crushing power. You do not want to get caught by the claw, You play you will Pay!!

Meet the Bone Crusher! This monster crab was over four pounds. Do not pick these crabs up if you do not know what you are doing. They can crack bones.

Coconut crabs spend their day hiding in burrows. They venture out searching for food late at night. This juvenile was found crossing the road.

Have a great day! Please consider making a small donation to support my mission.

Okinawa Nature Photography

沖縄自然写真 By Shawn Miller

Monthly Archives: July 2017

Sea Turtle Art Show – Okinawa, Japan

Ryukyu green snake – Reptiles of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

Worms with tongues ! Blind snakes of Okinawa

The Coconut Crab – Terrestrial hermit crabs of the Ryukyu Islands