We studied insectivory by five carnivores—the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus), Japanese marten (Martes melampus), Japanese badger (Meles meles), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), and raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides)—in a cool-temperate deciduous forest in Japan. From May 2003 to April 2005, we assayed 373 fecal samples (91 from bear, 158 from marten, 43 from badger, 36 from fox, and 45 from raccoon dog) for insects. Each carnivore species consumed a variety of insect species, some preferentially. Bears preferred colonial insects like ants and wasps; martens ate a variety of forest insects, such as ground beetles and arboreal insects; badgers preferred forest ground beetles; foxes ate ground beetles and grassland insects; and raccoon dogs ate a variety of species. Dietary preferences may reflect the feeding strategy, behavior, or habitat preference of each carnivore species. Based on the habitat preferences of the insects, we could assign carnivores to particular microhabitats: bears and martens used forest in three dimensions, badgers inhabited forest in two dimensions, foxes used grassland and forest in two dimensions, and raccoon dogs inhabited grassland and forest in three dimensions. Identification of insects in feces may provide information on the dietary and habitat preferences of these carnivores.

The Asian black bear inhabiting the Shimokita Peninsula, the northernmost part of Honshu, Japan, is categorized as one of the endangered local populations (LPs) in the list of threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The Shimokita population has become geographically isolated and fragmented due to recent human activity. In this study, we conducted DNA sampling between 2005–2007 of two neighboring bear populations across two regions, Shimokita and Tsugaru, and analyzed the genetic characteristics from the mitochondrial control region (approximately 700 bp) and seven microsatellite loci. Based on the analysis of both microsatellite markers and the mitochondrial control region, we found that the genetic diversity of the Shimokita population was lower than that of the Tsugaru population. An assignment test showed that three of 112 individual bears migrated between subpopulations, suggesting the low level of gene flow between subpopulations. The extent of genetic differentiation between populations (Fst) was 0.163 in microsatellites and 0.443 in mtDNA. These findings indicate that the Shimokita population is genetically isolated from other populations by habitat fragmentation due to human activity and historical events.

Mesowear analysis, one of the methods for reconstructing diets based on facet development on the occlusal surface of cheek teeth, has been applied mainly in extinct ungulates. To test how mesowear variables differ in same species from different habitats, this study investigated sika deer (Cervus nippon) from four localities (Urahoro, Nikko, Tsushima Islands, and Yakushima Island) in Japan. Data on two mesowear variables, ‘occlusal relief’ and ‘cusp shape’, were collected from buccal cusps of the left upper second molar. Several statistical analyses classified all the populations into their known food habits, except for the Yakushima population. These results suggest that mesowear analysis can roughly detect dietary position within the intraspecific spectrum from browser to grazer. However, specific dietary compositions or habitat conditions were could not be detected by the analysis. Therefore, care should be taken when discussing paleoecological conditions based only on mesowear analysis.

The allometric growth pattern of 666 common minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) collected in the North Pacific was investigated by comparing skull length and skull width with body length. For comparison, skull length and skull width in relation to body length were analyzed in 3 Balaenopteridae species (B. musclus, B. physalus, and B. borealis). The generalized linear model was adapted for evaluating the effects of sex and sexual maturity status on growth patterns. The skull proportion of large Balaenoptera whales (B. musculus and B. physalus) showed positive allometry, but that of the common minke whale showed negative allometry, despite being related species. Such differences in intraspecific growth patterns could be the result of adaptation driven by feeding strategy.

We analyzed morphological variation in external traits of Apodemus speciosus using 1,799 individuals collected throughout its entire distribution range. Clear geographic patterns were not observed in head and body length. Tail length was greater in the Hokkaido and Tokara-Nakanoshima populations and smaller in the Oki Islands populations. Ear length showed geographic trends within the Honshu populations, being smaller in the eastern populations than the western populations. Hind foot length was longer in Hokkaido, Kyushu, and peripheral island populations compared to the Kinki population. Relative head length was larger in the Tsushima and Tokara-Nakanoshima populations than in the Kinki and Chugoku populations. The frequency of hypothenar pad occurrence on the hind foot was biased in many island populations; individuals with hypothenar pads were dominant in the Kii-Oshima and Oki-Chiburijima populations, but individuals without pads were dominant in the Tsushima and Tokara-Nakanoshima populations. The longer tails found in Hokkaido might be caused by arboreal habitat use in these mice. The presence of a larger hind foot was thought to be obtained independently in each population. Biases in hypothenar pad frequency in island populations could be explained by the random fixation of alleles determining the presence or absence of the hypothenar pad.

Movements and seasonal home ranges of 6 GPS collared sika deer were investigated at the Oku-Chichibu Mountains, central Honshu, from April 2009 to March 2010. All deer migrated between discrete summer and winter home ranges. The linear migration distance ranged from 2.5 to 31.9 km. Mean elevation during the summer and the winter ranged from 980 to 1,782 m, and from 1,204 to 1,723 m, respectively. Two deer were upward migrants and 4 deer were downward migrants. Taking into consideration of the relatively small snow accumulation in the summer home range, the possibility of autumn migration to avoid deep snow is low. The percentage of steep slope in the winter home range was higher than that in the summer. Bamboo grass was not found in the summer home range, but was predominant in the winter home range. Road density decreased in the winter home range compared to the summer. Only 2 out of 6 deer stayed mainly in the wildlife protection area during the winter. Our results indicate that the autumn migration was affected by winter forage and human disturbance, thereby assured the survival of the deer during winter.

Phylogeographic analysis of Scotophilus kuhlii between Hainan Island and Guangdong Province was conducted to validate the existence of two subspecies separated by the Qiongzhou Strait. A total of 37 individuals from 3 assumed populations (8 roosts) were examined using 617 bp mtDNA control region segments. Nineteen individuals from cross-strait populations of Hainan Island and the mainland shared 3 of 13 haplotypes. Overall nucleotides diversity was 0.003, a low genetic variation level compared to previous reports for other chiropteran species. The neutral test, mismatch distribution, and star-like TCS network suggested a bottleneck effect occurring at 21,000 years BP during the last glacial maximum and a subsequent population expansion at 7,000 years BP, corresponding with a global warming period. AMOVA analysis, intertwined haplotypes in the TCS network, and rejection of “Isolation by Distance” by the Mantel test indicated no distinct population structure among these populations. Three populations seem to have been derived from a single panmictic unit and the Qiongzhou Strait did not hinder gene flow. Our result, a striking difference in population structure compared with other sympatric chiropteran phylogeographic reports, may indicate variations in the barrier effect of the strait in different species. Based on these results, we suggest that the cross-strait population should be classified as one subspecies, namely S. k. consobrinus, instead of two traditional subspecies.

Hispid hare Caprolagus hispidus is one of the less studied endangered small mammal species in the world. Hispid hare distribution includes the tropical grassland ecosystem in Nepal. Grassland fire is one of the management regimes used in this region and its impact on biodiversity is controversial. We investigated the diet and habitat use of hispid hare before and after a grassland fire at Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve (SWR) in Nepal. Fecal pellets were used for micro-histological analysis to understand hispid hare diet. We laid out sampling plots in areas where we encountered hispid hare sign and recorded habitat and vegetation information. We also looked for signs of hare presence along systematically positioned transect lines and used these data to assess the population status of hispid hare. Population density of hispid hare was 5.76 individuals/km² and we estimated a population size of 219 ± 40 hispid hare within the 41 km² grasslands of SWR. Hispid hare primarily used tall grassland habitat. Nineteen plant species were identified in hispid hare pellets with Saccharum spontaneum and Imperata cylindrica having the highest frequency of occurrence. There were no significant differences in the distribution of plant species in the pellets before and after the fire; however a significantly higher diversity of plants were recorded in hispid hare diet after the fire. We recommend a change to the timing of grass burning to either before or after the hispid hare breeding season to reduce the direct (burning, destruction of nests) and indirect (increased risk of predation) negative effects of such grassland management on hare populations. Population management strategies and a field based conservation captive breeding program should be implemented immediately to maintain a viable population of hispid hare in SWR.