Hermit crabs living in plastic tubes by Shawn Miller

Posted on September 13, 2020 by Admin11

One of my favorite things to do is to go beachcombing after typhoons. Over the years, I have seen a significant increase in the amount of marine debris washed ashore. The trash is from all over the world, but the majority of it washes up from Korea, China, and Japan

The resourceful hermit crabs take full advantage of plastic tubes and twist top caps. They move into this valuable real estate and use it as a protective mobile home until they find a better option.

Hermit Crabs prefer to live in a natural seashell. Due to a decline in the number of seashells, the hermit crabs have to adapt with our trash to survive. Below are photographs of hermit crabs found naturally adapting with the plastic tubing.

Lucky was the first hermit crab I photographed adapting with plastic tubing. (2014)

The long plastic tubing slows down their movement. Not the ideal mobile home for a hermit crab.

Sometimes I find them living in clear plastic. Over time the plastic turns yellow and becomes brittle. Eventually, it will break up into microplastic.

Every hermit crab found adapting with our waste receives a new home (seashell). I bring a bucket with an assortment of shells with me on my beach hikes. The hermit crabs are placed in the bucket and make the switch. They get a better home and I keep the plastic.

I was surprised to find this small blueberry hermit crab using a jump rope handle as a mobile home. The crab switched into a tapestry turban shell (mts4n #29) immediately.

The hermit crab is one of the few animals that can successfully adapt with our waste. If you would like to learn more about hermit crabs adapting with our waste please check out my post on “Crabs With Beach Trash Homes” by Shawn M Miller.

This post is not to make people sad, guilty, or lose hope, It is to bring awareness to the ongoing trash problem in our oceans and on our shorelines. Hopefully, these images will inspire people to change.

My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands. – If you would like to join my journey, check out my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/MakeTheSwitch4Nature

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

The Chinese soft-shell turtle – Aquatic turtles of Okinawa

Posted on July 15, 2019 by Admin11

This year we have had an abundance of rain on Okinawa. Locals have been finding a great deal of turtles on the road, specifically the Chinese soft-shell turtle ( Pelodiscus sinensis ). This soft shell turtle was originally introduced as a food source. This species is currently listed as vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List.

Scientific name: Pelodiscus sinensis
Common name: Chinese softshell turtle
Distribution: Introduced to most of Japan and the Ryukyu Islands
Habitat: Ponds, drainage ditches, rice paddies and farm fields.
Diet: Insects, fish, frogs, snails, and plants
Average size: 30-35cm
Color: Olive gray

An adult soft turtle found in the farm fields at night.

A large female I found laying eggs on the bank of a small water source.

A closeup of a soft turtle infested with leaches. Stop staring!

Meet chunky

The beautiful farm fields of Okinawa, prime habitat for aquatic turtles.

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 as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines. Thank you for your support. Shawn M Miller.

#MakeTheSwitch4Nature

Ryukyu ken – Dogs of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

Posted on November 1, 2017 by Admin11

Ryukyu-ken is a scarce breed of dog found on the Island of Okinawa. In the past, these dogs were used to hunt down wild boars in the Yanbaru forest. They are currently designated as an Okinawan national treasure. I have personally seen these dogs hunt wild birds and they have no problems catching them. The Ryukyu ken has a great sense of smell. They can smell their prey from far away. These smart dogs are outstanding hunters.

Ryukyu Ken – © Shawn Miller

Ryukyu-ken © Shawn Miller

It’s impressive that these dogs hunt such a large powerful animal. Ryukyu wild boar (Sus scrofa).

Ryukyu wild boar (sus scrofa) This is a common wild boar found in Okinawa,

Ryukyu wild boar (Sus scrofa) © Shawn Miller

I was out searching for birds and saw this beautiful male Ryukyu Inu. I knew he was out on a hunting mission. It was just a matter of being at the right place at the right time.

Ryukyu Inu -Okinawan native dog © Shawn Miller

Ryukyu native dog ready for the hunt © Shawn Miller

Ryukyu Inu -Okinawan native dog © Shawn Miller

I tried to get a better photograph but the dogs kept avoiding me. The Ryukyu ken caught a duck with the help of a team partner.

I often would see the Master walking his dogs on the beach and one day I finally asked him if I could photograph him and his dogs.

Master and his Ryukyu Ken © Shawn Miller

Master walking his Ryukyu Dogs © Shawn Miller

I had the opportunity to meet another Ryukyu Ken this weekend. What caught my eye was the the double claw ( AKA Dew claw) on the rear legs. He had six toenails on the hind legs and only four toenails on the front legs, the term for this is polydactyl. I have only seen extra digits on the front legs of a cats before.

Ryukyu ken -dogs of the Ryukyu’s

Check out those dew claws- six toenails on the hind legs

polydactyl ryukyu dog- Meet boots the Hemingway cat (Polydactyl)

Meet boots the Hemingway cat (Polydactyl). Check out those extra digits!

Boots the Polydactyl Cat by Shawn Miller

Look at those beautiful patterns of the Ryukyu ken.

Ryukyu ken – Coat colors and patterns

The Ryukyu Ken is my favorite dog.

I often find some of the most interesting dogs on my photographic adventures exploring the Island. I try to capture their unique personality. Below are some of my favorite dogs.

Okinawan dog © Shawn Miller

Ryukyu guard dog © Shawn Miller

Okinawan dog © Shawn Miller

Okinawa dog – chained up © Shawn Miller

Poochie the wonder dog © Shawn Miller

Sometimes on my adventures, I run into aggressive dogs. They are just protecting their territory. I respect their space and leave the scene.

Okinawan dog © Shawn Miller

Dogs of Okinawa © Shawn Miller

guard dogs of Okinawa © Shawn Miller

Dogs of Okinawa © Shawn Miller

Okinawan beach dogs, Yomitan Okinawa © Shawn Miller

Sometimes I run into kind photogenic dogs that love their photograph taken.

Shima -Ryukyu dog © Shawn Miller

Cheetah like speed © Shawn Miller

Okinawa Island style © Shawn Miller

Okinawan dog with style © Shawn Miller

Dogs of Okinawa © Shawn Miller

Scuba dog -Maeda point © Shawn Miller

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 Good, the Bad or the Evil – The Crow’s of Okinawa

Posted on October 1, 2017 by Admin11

The Jungle Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos) is found throughout the Ryukyu Islands. They are abundant here and can be found all over Okinawa. Populations have increased due to the readily available food, left on the side of the road and in dumpsters. It’s important to keep your trash enclosed in cages to prevent the crows from getting to it.

Scientific name: Corvus macrorhynchos
Local name: Jungle crow
Distribution: Ryukyu Islands
Habitat: Farms, cities, forests and grasslands.
Diet: Eats almost everything
Average size: 50cm body length
Color: Black

The farmers in Onna village put up this deterrent to keep the crows from coming back.

Crows can be vicious predators. They often harass other birds, showing off their strength.

These intelligent birds work as a team to get what they want. I have personally seen them raid baby birds from the nest. I have seen them fly away with juvenile woodpeckers, rails and swallows.

Crow taking the okinawa woodpecker from the nest

The mother duck worked hard to protect her young from this vicious predator.

Spot-billed duck and ducklings

To control the population of jungle crows in northern Okinawa, they use large traps to catch them in. One way in and no way out!

Possibly a strange growth that occurred from an injury (broken beak). Could this be one of the few crows that made a successful escape from a trap?

As much as we dislike the crow, they do have a purpose in the ecosystem. They clean the dead animals (road kill) off the road, keeping our environment clean from rotting carcasses. I often see them feeding on cats, snakes, lizards, birds, and rats dead in the road.

On several occasions, I have observed crows eating dead animals on beaches and river banks. Met EEL-Zilla, a huge freshwater eel that washed up at Nagahama dam.

They also feed on the large green caterpillars that destroy the farmer’s taro (Taanmu) crops in Kin village

Mutualism of Commensalism?

I believe this is Mutualism. Both animals possibly benefit from each other. The crow cleans the parasites on the boar’s skin and also acts as a warning system when threats are in the area. The wild boar uproots the ground, which gives access to insects, grubs, and worms for the crow. This was my first time observing this behavior in the wild.

As soon as the boar spotted me it fled the scene. The crow attempted to stay mounted but could not keep up with the boar.

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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

Okinawa Nature Photography

沖縄自然写真 By Shawn Miller

Tag Archives: animals of okinawa

Hermit crabs living in plastic tubes by Shawn Miller

The Chinese soft-shell turtle – Aquatic turtles of Okinawa

Ryukyu ken – Dogs of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

The Good, the Bad or the Evil – The Crow’s of Okinawa