World Oceans Day 2019 – Okinawa, Japan

Posted on June 9, 2019 by Admin11

June 8th 2019, is designated as Wold Oceans Day. It’s a day encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment. We can all do a better job making a difference, our lives depend on it.

I have traveled to many of the outer Islands in the Ryukyu Island chain. Every Island has an abundance of marine debris washed ashore from Japan, China and Korea. Below are some of the documentation photographs taken on Iheya Island.

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.

Learn more about making a difference, TEDx talk | Adapting to or Changing Environment by Shawn M 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 as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines. Thank you for your support. Shawn M Miller.

Hermit Crabs Living In Glass Bottles By Shawn Miller

Posted on May 4, 2019 by Admin11

Trash, treasure and the beautiful beaches of Okinawa.

One of my favorite things to do on the weekends is to go beach walking. 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 majority of it washes up from Korea, China and Japan

Maeda flats

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.

Iheya beach

Majority of the glass bottles that wash ashore will eventually break. The resourceful blueberry hermit crabs take full advantage of any broken bottles and twist top caps. They eventually move into this valuable real estate and use it as a protective mobile home until they find a better option.

Marine debris

Broken glass Iheya Island

Hermit Crabs prefer to live in a natural seashell. The most durable home on Okinawa is the silver mouth turban shell.

Hermit crabs feeding

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 metal twist caps and broken glass bottles.

Energy drink home

Energy drink home

Glass top Crab

Hermit crabs – real-estate

Metal cap

Hermit crab in a glass

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.

Learn more about making a difference, TEDx talk | Adapting to or Changing Environment by Shawn M Miller

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

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.

Whale Watching Okinawa – Searching for Humpback Whales by Shawn Miller

Posted on March 22, 2018 by Admin11

Whale watching season starts at the beginning of February and ends in April. We went out with The Zamami Whale watching Association In 2013. Before the boat ride, a local Scientist delivered an informative presentation on these powerful endangered animals. I have to say they are doing their best to educate the public on the protection of the Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). During the boat ride, the staff and boat captain were highly professional. The boats kept a safe working distance from the whales. The whales would surface for a few minutes go back down for 10-15minutes and resurface. We really wanted to get some powerful images of the whale jumping out of the water but we didn’t get that lucky. It was still worth the experience.

Whale watching tours – Kerama Islands

Humpback checking out the scene

Humpback Whale Dorsal fin

Whale Fluke -Karama Islands

Whale watching tours at Zamami Island

Whale tail splash

The Humpback whales biggest threat is Pollution. They are filter feeders and often accidentally ingest marine debris. Our waste is a serious problem for all marine animals.

Our waste is overwelling. We are at the point of massive destruction if we don’t do anything about it right now. The trash (Marine debris) is found on the surface of the water, underwater and littered on our beautiful shorelines. This is a worldwide issue we continue to ignore.

Ocean surface pollution

Underwater Pollution

Beach shoreline pollution

Ropes and fishing gear are entanglements for the Whales

Ropes, fishing gear, and nets are entanglements for the Whales

Plastic pollution, noise pollution and an increase in large boat traffic are having an impact on the whales. Every year we see whales washed on our shorelines.

Dead humpback whale – Kadena

Juvenile humpback whale

Another Juvenile humpback whale washed up on Torii beach.

Dead humpback whale – Yomitan

Dead humpback whale – Yomitan

Let’s protect the animals of the Okinawa.

Okinawa Nature Photography

沖縄自然写真 By Shawn Miller

Tag Archives: plastic pollution of the Ryukyu Islands

World Oceans Day 2019 – Okinawa, Japan

Hermit Crabs Living In Glass Bottles By Shawn Miller

Whale Watching Okinawa – Searching for Humpback Whales by Shawn Miller