Animals of Japan

322 animals on World Animal Map have open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records from Japan on GBIF: 165 birds, 67 mammals, 56 insects & other invertebrates, 18 sharks & fish, 9 reptiles, 7 amphibians. Species marked “introduced” are listed as non-native there by GRIIS checklists. Show on the world map

All 322 animals by group

Bears 2

• Asian black bear Ursus thibetanus
• Brown bear Ursus arctos

Foxes, jackals & wild dogs 2

• Common raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides
• Red fox Vulpes vulpes

Mongooses, civets & genets 1

• Masked palm civet Paguma larvata

Weasels, otters, badgers & skunks 6

• European badger Meles meles
• Japanese badger Meles anakuma
• Japanese marten Martes melampus
• Japanese weasel Mustela itatsi
• Sable Martes zibellina
• Sea otter Enhydra lutris

Raccoons, coatis & relatives 1

• Raccoon Procyon lotor (introduced)

Whales & dolphins 14

• Baird's beaked whale Berardius bairdii
• Common minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata
• Cuvier's beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris
• Dall's porpoise Phocoenoides dalli
• Harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena
• Hubbs' beaked whale Mesoplodon carlhubbsi
• Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae
• Orca Orcinus orca
• Pacific white-sided dolphin Lagenorhynchus obliquidens
• Short-finned pilot whale Globicephala macrorhynchus
• Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus
• Stejneger's beaked whale Mesoplodon stejnegeri
• Striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba
• Yangtze finless porpoise Neophocaena asiaeorientalis

Deer 1

• Sika deer Cervus nippon

Antelopes, wild cattle, sheep & goats 2

• Japanese serow Capricornis crispus
• Wild goat Capra aegagrus

Wild pigs & peccaries 1

• Wild boar Sus scrofa

Monkeys 1

• Japanese macaque Macaca fuscata

Bats 8

• Asian particolored bat Vespertilio sinensis
• Eastern long-fingered bat Myotis macrodactylus
• Eastern water bat Myotis petax
• Japanese pipistrelle Pipistrellus abramus
• Little Japanese horseshoe bat Rhinolophus cornutus
• Ryukyu flying fox Pteropus dasymallus
• Southeast Asian long-fingered bat Miniopterus fuscus
• Ussuri tube-nosed bat Murina ussuriensis

Squirrels, chipmunks & marmots 6

• Grey-bellied squirrel Callosciurus caniceps
• Japanese giant flying squirrel Petaurista leucogenys
• Japanese squirrel Sciurus lis
• Pallas's squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus (introduced)
• Red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris
• Siberian chipmunk Tamias sibiricus

Mice, rats & other rodents 9

• Eurasian harvest mouse Micromys minutus
• Grey red-backed vole Craseomys rufocanus
• Japanese grass vole Microtus montebelli
• Korean field mouse Apodemus peninsulae
• Large Japanese field mouse Apodemus speciosus
• Northern red-backed vole Myodes rutilus
• Nutria Myocastor coypus (introduced)
• Ryukyu long-tailed giant rat Diplothrix legata
• Small Japanese field mouse Apodemus argenteus

Rabbits, hares & pikas 4

• Amami rabbit Pentalagus furnessi
• Japanese hare Lepus brachyurus
• Mountain hare Lepus timidus
• Northern pika Ochotona hyperborea

Hedgehogs, shrews & moles 9

• Asian house shrew Suncus murinus
• Japanese mole Mogera wogura
• Japanese mountain mole Euroscaptor mizura
• Japanese water shrew Chimarrogale platycephala
• Laxmann's shrew Sorex caecutiens
• Long-clawed shrew Sorex unguiculatus
• Sado mole Mogera tokudae
• Small Japanese mole Mogera imaizumii
• True's shrew mole Dymecodon pilirostris

Birds of prey 12

• Black kite Milvus migrans
• Common buzzard Buteo buteo
• Common kestrel Falco tinnunculus
• Crested honey buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus
• Eurasian hobby Falco subbuteo
• Eurasian sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
• Hen harrier Circus cyaneus
• Merlin Falco columbarius
• Osprey Pandion haliaetus
• Rough-legged buzzard Buteo lagopus
• Steller's sea eagle Haliaeetus pelagicus
• White-tailed eagle Haliaeetus albicilla

Owls 3

• Blakiston's fish owl Bubo blakistoni
• Long-eared owl Asio otus
• Short-eared owl Asio flammeus

Parrots 1

• Rose-ringed parakeet Psittacula krameri (introduced)

Ducks, geese & swans 30

• American wigeon Mareca americana
• Brant Branta bernicla
• Cackling goose Branta hutchinsii
• Common goldeneye Bucephala clangula
• Common merganser Mergus merganser
• Common pochard Aythya ferina
• Common shelduck Tadorna tadorna
• Eurasian teal
• Eurasian wigeon Mareca penelope
• Ferruginous duck Aythya nyroca
• Gadwall Mareca strepera
• Garganey Spatula querquedula
• Greater scaup Aythya marila
• Greater white-fronted goose Anser albifrons
• Harlequin duck Histrionicus histrionicus
• Long-tailed duck Clangula hyemalis
• Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
• Mandarin duck Aix galericulata (introduced)
• Mute swan Cygnus olor (introduced)
• Northern pintail Anas acuta
• Northern shoveler Spatula clypeata
• Red-breasted merganser Mergus serrator
• Smew Mergellus albellus
• Snow goose Anser caerulescens
• Swan goose Anser cygnoides
• Taiga bean goose Anser fabalis
• Tufted duck Aythya fuligula
• Tundra bean goose Anser serrirostris
• Tundra swan Cygnus columbianus
• Whooper swan Cygnus cygnus

Waders, gulls, terns & auks 45

• Bar-tailed godwit Limosa lapponica
• Black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
• Black-legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla
• Black-tailed godwit Limosa limosa
• Black-winged stilt Himantopus himantopus
• Common greenshank Tringa nebularia
• Common gull Larus canus
• Common murre Uria aalge
• Common redshank Tringa totanus
• Common ringed plover Charadrius hiaticula
• Common sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
• Common snipe Gallinago gallinago
• Common tern Sterna hirundo
• Curlew sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
• Dunlin Calidris alpina
• Eurasian curlew Numenius arquata
• Eurasian oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
• Eurasian whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
• Eurasian woodcock Scolopax rusticola
• European herring gull Larus argentatus
• Glaucous gull Larus hyperboreus
• Green sandpiper Tringa ochropus
• Grey plover Pluvialis squatarola
• Lesser black-backed gull Larus fuscus
• Little ringed plover Charadrius dubius
• Little stint Calidris minuta
• Little tern Sternula albifrons
• Long-billed dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus
• Long-tailed jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus
• Northern lapwing Vanellus vanellus
• Parasitic jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus
• Pied avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
• Pomarine jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus
• Red knot Calidris canutus
• Red phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius
• Red-necked phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
• Roseate tern Sterna dougallii
• Ruddy turnstone Arenaria interpres
• Ruff Calidris pugnax
• Sanderling Calidris alba
• Sooty tern Onychoprion fuscatus
• South polar skua Stercorarius maccormicki
• Spotted redshank Tringa erythropus
• Temminck's stint Calidris temminckii
• Wood sandpiper Tringa glareola

Seabirds, divers & grebes 13

• Black-necked grebe Podiceps nigricollis
• Black-throated loon Gavia arctica
• Brown booby Sula leucogaster
• Great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
• Great crested grebe Podiceps cristatus
• Horned grebe Podiceps auritus
• Laysan albatross Phoebastria immutabilis
• Leach's storm petrel Hydrobates leucorhous
• Little grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
• Northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis
• Red-footed booby Sula sula
• Red-necked grebe Podiceps grisegena
• Red-throated loon Gavia stellata

Herons, storks, cranes & flamingos 15

• Black-crowned night heron Nycticorax nycticorax
• Common crane Grus grus
• Common moorhen Gallinula chloropus
• Crested ibis Nipponia nippon
• Demoiselle crane Anthropoides virgo
• Eurasian bittern Botaurus stellaris
• Eurasian coot Fulica atra
• Eurasian spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
• Great egret Ardea alba
• Grey heron Ardea cinerea
• Little egret Egretta garzetta
• Purple heron Ardea purpurea
• Red-crowned crane Grus japonensis
• Sandhill crane Grus canadensis
• Siberian crane Leucogeranus leucogeranus

Pheasants, grouse & game birds 5

• Common pheasant Phasianus colchicus (introduced)
• Green pheasant Phasianus versicolor
• Indian peafowl Pavo cristatus (introduced)
• Japanese quail Coturnix japonica
• Rock ptarmigan Lagopus muta

Pigeons & doves 1

• Rock dove Columba livia (introduced)

Woodpeckers, kingfishers, hornbills & toucans 4

• Black woodpecker Dryocopus martius
• Common kingfisher Alcedo atthis
• Eurasian wryneck Jynx torquilla
• Great spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos major

Hummingbirds, swifts & nightjars 1

• White-throated needletail Hirundapus caudacutus

Crows, jays & magpies 4

• Carrion crow Corvus corone
• Eurasian jay Garrulus glandarius
• Large-billed crow Corvus macrorhynchos
• Rook Corvus frugilegus

Songbirds & perching birds 30

• Barn swallow Hirundo rustica
• Bohemian waxwing Bombycilla garrulus
• Brambling Fringilla montifringilla
• Coal tit Periparus ater
• Common reed bunting Emberiza schoeniclus
• Common starling Sturnus vulgaris
• Dusky warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus
• Eurasian bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula
• Eurasian nuthatch Sitta europaea
• Eurasian siskin Spinus spinus
• Eurasian skylark Alauda arvensis
• Eurasian tree sparrow Passer montanus
• Eurasian treecreeper Certhia familiaris
• Eurasian wren Troglodytes troglodytes
• Goldcrest Regulus regulus
• Great tit Parus major
• Grey wagtail Motacilla cinerea
• Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes
• Little bunting Emberiza pusilla
• Long-tailed tit Aegithalos caudatus
• Marsh tit Poecile palustris
• Red crossbill Loxia curvirostra
• Red-breasted flycatcher Ficedula parva
• Red-flanked bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus
• Richard's pipit Anthus richardi
• Sand martin Riparia riparia
• Scaly-breasted munia Lonchura punctulata (introduced)
• White wagtail Motacilla alba
• Willow tit Poecile montanus
• Yellow-browed warbler Phylloscopus inornatus

Cuckoos, turacos & other birds 1

• Common cuckoo Cuculus canorus

Snakes 5

• Black-banded sea krait Laticauda semifasciata
• Indotyphlops braminus Indotyphlops braminus
• Japanese rat snake Elaphe climacophora
• Protobothrops flavoviridis Protobothrops flavoviridis
• Rhabdophis tigrinus Rhabdophis tigrinus

Turtles & tortoises 4

• Chinese pond turtle Mauremys reevesii
• Chinese softshell turtle Pelodiscus sinensis
• Green sea turtle Chelonia mydas
• Pond slider Trachemys scripta (introduced)

Frogs & toads 5

• American bullfrog Rana catesbeiana (introduced)
• Common tree frog Polypedates leucomystax (introduced)
• Japanese common toad Bufo japonicus
• Japanese tree frog Hyla japonica
• Pelophylax nigromaculatus Pelophylax nigromaculatus

Salamanders, newts & caecilians 2

• Japanese fire-bellied newt Cynops pyrrhogaster
• Japanese giant salamander Andrias japonicus

Sharks 1

• Japanese angelshark Squatina japonica

Rays, skates & chimaeras 1

• Red stingray Hemitrygon akajei

Bony fish 16

• Asian sheephead wrasse Semicossyphus reticulatus
• Atlantic tripletail Lobotes surinamensis
• Ayu sweetfish Plecoglossus altivelis
• Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus (introduced)
• Common carp Cyprinus carpio
• Flathead grey mullet Mugil cephalus
• Greater amberjack Seriola dumerili
• Japanese eel Anguilla japonica
• Japanese rice fish Oryzias latipes
• Lagoon triggerfish Rhinecanthus aculeatus
• Long-spine porcupinefish Diodon holocanthus
• Ocellaris clownfish Amphiprion ocellaris
• Oncorhynchus masou Oncorhynchus masou
• Pagrus major Pagrus major
• Pond loach Misgurnus anguillicaudatus (introduced)
• Silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (introduced)

Butterflies & moths 6

• Daphnis nerii Daphnis nerii (introduced)
• Fall webworm Hyphantria cunea (introduced)
• Lycaena phlaeas Lycaena phlaeas
• Lymantria dispar Lymantria dispar
• Pieris rapae Pieris rapae (introduced)
• Sasakia charonda Sasakia charonda

Bees, wasps & ants 4

• Apis cerana Apis cerana
• Asian giant hornet Vespa mandarinia
• Western honey bee Apis mellifera (introduced)
• Yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes

Beetles 6

• Coccinella septempunctata Coccinella septempunctata
• Harmonia axyridis Harmonia axyridis
• Japanese beetle Popillia japonica
• Japanese rhinoceros beetle Trypoxylus dichotomus
• Oryctes rhinoceros Oryctes rhinoceros (introduced)
• Varied carpet beetle Anthrenus verbasci

Dragonflies & damselflies 1

• Pantala flavescens Pantala flavescens

Grasshoppers, bugs & other insects 9

• American cockroach Periplaneta americana (introduced)
• Brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys
• Cat flea Ctenocephalides felis
• Chinese mantis Tenodera sinensis
• Drosophila melanogaster Drosophila melanogaster (introduced)
• Drosophila suzukii Drosophila suzukii
• Hermetia illucens Hermetia illucens (introduced)
• Migratory locust Locusta migratoria
• Silverleaf whitefly Bemisia tabaci (introduced)

Spiders, scorpions & other arachnids 7

• Argiope bruennichi Argiope bruennichi
• Heteropoda venatoria Heteropoda venatoria
• Nephila pilipes Nephila pilipes
• Parasteatoda tepidariorum Parasteatoda tepidariorum
• Redback spider Latrodectus hasselti (introduced)
• Tetranychus urticae Tetranychus urticae
• Trichonephila clavata Trichonephila clavata

Crabs, lobsters & shrimps 8

• Armadillidium vulgare Armadillidium vulgare (introduced)
• Caridina multidentata Caridina multidentata
• Coconut crab Birgus latro
• Japanese spider crab Macrocheira kaempferi
• Ligia exotica Ligia exotica
• Portunus pelagicus Portunus pelagicus
• Procambarus clarkii Procambarus clarkii (introduced)
• Scylla serrata Scylla serrata (introduced)

Octopuses, squid & cuttlefish 4

• Amphioctopus fangsiao Amphioctopus fangsiao
• Firefly squid Watasenia scintillans
• Giant squid Architeuthis dux
• Octopus cyanea Octopus cyanea

Jellyfish, corals & anemones 5

• Beadlet anemone Actinia equina
• Diadumene lineata Diadumene lineata
• Hydra vulgaris Hydra vulgaris
• Nomura's jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai
• Portuguese man o' war Physalia physalis

Starfish, sea urchins & relatives 6

• Apostichopus japonicus Apostichopus japonicus
• Asterias amurensis Asterias amurensis
• Culcita novaeguineae Culcita novaeguineae
• Diadema setosum Diadema setosum
• Holothuria atra Holothuria atra
• Linckia laevigata Linckia laevigata

Presence means at least a few wild records with coordinates (and a minimum share of the species’ records, to exclude vagrants and escapes) in GBIF data licensed CC0 or CC BY 4.0. Some species may be missing where open data is scarce.