Iriomote: Pursuing the Elusive Jungle Cat

"Journeys in Japan"

Eyes piercing the darkness.

Ah, the elusive Iriomote cat, a rare species.

The protected feline inhabits the subtropical island of Iriomote.

A father and daughter are on a quest to glimpse one.

This takes them all around the island.

- I don't need your hand.
- You don't?

Join Kenneth and Emma on their Iriomote expedition

on "Journeys in Japan."

Iriomote
Pursuing the Elusive Jungle Cat

Located 2,000 kilometers from Tokyo,

Iriomote is a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site.

Dense jungle and mangrove forests blanket 90% of the island,

supporting a rich and diverse ecosystem.

With heavy rainfall,

the island is blessed with abundant water

and over 40 rivers.

Hi, my name is Kenneth Slater.

We're here in Iriomote Island to explore.

This is my daughter Emma.

Emma-chan, what do you want to see here?

- The Iriomote cat!
- Yeah, me too.

Well, maybe we can see that and a bunch of other stuff too.

- Let's go and see what we can find.
- Yeah.

Kenneth, originally from Canada,

moved to nearby Ishigaki Island six years ago for the stunning nature

and now works as a snorkeling instructor.

Seven-year-old Emma is obsessed with cats,

right now with the secretive Iriomote.

Our guide today is Mr. Morimoto.

- Hello, Mr. Morimoto.
- Hi. Hello.

Morimoto Takafusa has guided tourists around the island

for 30 years.

Even rowing with a child's paddle feels good.

All kinds of baby fish live here.

Will we see some?

The river and seawater meet here.

This is where mangroves thrive, close to the shore.

The mangroves in front prevent soil erosion

and protect the forest in the back by keeping out saltwater.

Crabs live here.

Many creatures are nurtured, including baby fish.

If large fish come, they can hide in the mangrove roots.

These are Japanese soldier crabs.

When people get close, they duck into the sand.

Emma, show me both your hands.

Wow, so many.

- Here you go, Daddy.
- They're cute.

They don't bite.

These crabs just filter and eat the sand.

They don't attack others.

Soldier crabs burrow in the tidal flats

sifting out nutrients and filtering the mountain water.

By doing so, they help send off perfectly balanced water to the sea.

They create a place to live for each other, really,

and it's completing the cycle, really.

Look at this tree, though. Amazing tree.

Wow, look at the roots on that thing. It's just huge.

To compensate for the soil's extreme moisture,

these blade-like roots rise out of the wetland to support the tree.

Let's play hide and seek.

Center yourself. Use your arms and legs

like this to climb up.

We'll go slowly.

Faster than me.

I'm good at this stuff.

Emma, look at this.

A male wild boar marked this with his tusks to show it's his territory.

Wow.

It's still fresh.

This space is a bit flat.

A wild boar must've slept here.

Signs show it dug here too.

- How about wildcats?
- Cats rest here, as well.

Wasn't an Iriomote cat here until just now?

If there's the scent of the Iriomote cat or its droppings,

that means it always uses that place.

There might be one near us, Emma.

I often see their scat nearby.

Emma, do you feel the presence of the Iriomote cat?

I can see it now.

You can see it?

It feels so good!

It's cold!

We've reached the top.

- How is it?
- It's very beautiful...

Wow, look at that.

Abundant rainfall supports forest growth.

And the forests are connected with the ocean via the rivers,

which cut through mangroves and flatlands.

The river carries the forest nutrients to nurture the creatures in the ocean.

It's an amazing place.

The Iriomote leopard cat sits at the top of the food chain

and is an umbrella species.

They roam only on tiny Iriomote

where they've evolved in a unique way.

Daddy, look.

It's "yamaneko."

Yeah, it is too. No that's not a real yamaneko.

But maybe around here?

Hello.

Is it true Iriomote cats exist around here?

Yes, it is.

They favor this area.

Takayama Yusuke works in Iriomote wildcat preservation.

Accidents happen almost every year around here.

The road curves and then straightens here,

so it's easy to pick up speed.

So Takayama patrols the area day and night to prevent accidents,

and also teaches islander children

about the importance of this wild feline.

Careful of the cars here.

We're right on their path.

There might be scat or tracks so try searching for them.

- Okay.
- Let's do that!

Maybe Iriomote cats like this kind of place.

Why's that?

It's easy to walk along this path, and hide.

They can hide in the nearby forest during daytime.

Mangroves, water, and fish from the sea can be found here.

Many living things are here so they use it as a feeding ground.

Unlike other wildcats,

the Iriomote prey on a wide variety of creatures.

- Can you see any poo, Emma?
- No.

No poo?

Is there scat around here?

That's earth.

Let's look.

It would be amazing if we found some.

Oh. This looks kind of...

That's earth.

It smells good.

That's earth, too.

How about this?

Maybe soil, too?

Could be worm poo.

It's pretty hard to find.

I have scat samples at my office.

Why don't you drop by?

- Let's go see some samples.
- Okay!

(Yamaneko Patrol)

Come on in.

Look at that, Emma-chan.

Iriomote cats!

These are Iriomote cats.

That's very close range.

A local photographer went into the mountains and took them.

Measuring 50 to 60 centimeters in length

and weighing around 3 kilograms,

their distinctive features include round ears

and white markings around the eyes and behind the ears.

Try finding one.

Look at this. Where is it?

Can you find it?

Good job.

That's amazing.

- It's cloaked in the leaves.
- In the leaves...

The fur patterns are similar to the fallen leaves,

providing excellent camouflage.

It's an amazing camouflage...

Where is it?

- Here! No, wrong...
- You're quick.

People can't usually find it.

These are dropping samples.

What do you think these are?

- Scales!
- Very good!

(Scat analysis: lizard)

These are feathers.

The wildcats sometimes catch birds.

They haven't been digested.

They eat the entire bird.

They evolved to live on this small island by eating a wide range of creatures.

Their unique diet includes frogs, lizards, water rails, and wild boars.

Recently, cars have been threatening their population of around 100.

See, cars are driving close by, but it's not running away.

- It's on a kill.
- It's agitated.

It got a gecko.

They also go after roadkill.

They've learned it's an easy way to feed.

But this takes them on to the road, and accidents are rising.

- Roadkill.
- Yes, it's become a problem.

Hi!

Hi there.

- Is this a feline?
- That was the idea.

An Iriomote cat.

It's the island's symbol, you know.

In 1965,

the discovery of the new feline species made headlines worldwide

thrusting the Iriomote into the spotlight.

In the island's far west.

(Shirahama)

Beyond the end of the road

and only accessible by boat,

the expedition moves on.

Ask him how long it takes.

How long will it take?

About ten minutes.

Ikeda Katsufumi, born in this area, is leading the way.

This is Funauki, their destination.

What is this?

This is where the Iriomote cat was first caught.

Really?

We would often see them in the village.

They would come for our chickens.

Back then people didn't know how precious they were.

And they ate them.

But now they're protected. Hunting them is banned.

Have you seen any recently?

The last I saw one was about 10 years ago.

There was a coalmine here from the Meiji Era to the end of World War II.

Emma. Wait a second.

This is Uchibanari Island.

Let me guide you.

Thank you.

Deserted now, coalmines once flourished on this island.

Amazing.

This is the head of the mine where miners dug coal.

It goes deep down.

A lot of people used to work here, Emma.

My grandmother moved here from the mainland for the coalmining.

She married my grandfather, then my parent was born, and now here I am.

This place now looks like a nature conservation area.

It's surrounded by nature.

But coalmining in those days meant development, progress.

At the peak of mining, which began in 1886,

over 1,000 people lived here

and toiled away in the many shafts and tunnels.

From today's perspective it led to destruction of the environment.

But the mines were part of their lives.

Iriomote is built on that history.

So that's why I'm showing people these ruins.

Wow, that feels great!

I don't need your hand.

You don't? You'll do it yourself?

It's cold.

- You can hang on to this.
- No.

Let's go!

Why are you going back?

You can do it.

I see fish!

Multicolored corals and tropical fish

thrive in the transparent waters.

The wildcats often appear around rice paddies.

It's beautiful.

It is beautiful, yeah.

It looks almost ready to harvest.

- Hello.
- Hello.

- Must be hard work in this rain.
- Yes.

Harvest time is approaching, but the water isn't receding.

So I'm working on drainage.

To farm so deep in nature, what do you pay particular attention to?

Well, take a look at this.

Have you ever seen a golden apple snail?

Yes, I have.

It's big.

It's a snail.

There's an opening in this field.

The snails ate all the rice plants.

There are pesticides for that, but they are extremely strong

and affect other creatures living in the river and rice field.

Right.

Ohama Kazumasa, from a long line of rice farmers,

cultivates without the use of chemicals.

The rice field exists for every living thing, such as the snail.

The rice lives here as well.

I don't want to intrude on them.

I want to support an environment where all can grow freely.

Organic rice is vulnerable to pests,

so any damaged grains become feed for...

Profits from the eggs are used to supplement his rice sales.

And their droppings become fertilizer for circular agriculture.

Iriomote cats sometimes attack the chickens.

The wildcats aren't doing a bad thing.

They're just trying to eat and survive.

But... it's terrible.

But it's kind of the cycle of life.

Ohama Farm's packaging slogan goes

"All are welcome at our rice field --- bugs, birds and wildcats!"

Nature is beyond human protection.

Compromises are possible.

It's more about people having as little as possible impact on nature.

These are our farm's rice balls that we take pride in.

Have some, please.

It's great!

It's still warm.

You must be hungry.

- Delicious!
- Delicious.

Better than the ones we prepare at home.

Well, it doesn't get any fresher than this, eh?

Our rice balls are imbued with our farming method and philosophy.

We're happiest when people listen to our story and eat our rice.

We come to the end of our journey in Iriomote Island.

It's been a fabulous time and we've really enjoyed this amazing trip.

We started this journey with the hope of seeing the Iriomote yamaneko.

Unfortunately, we didn't see it. We didn't catch up with it.

But we've really felt its presence throughout our journey here in Iriomote.

From here,

as a newly designated UNESCO Natural World Heritage site,

I think the challenge that faces the people here, living here especially,

but also as visitors to this place

is how we can be a part of this experience

in Iriomote, the cycle that exists here.

When Emma grows up, has children of her own

that they'll be able to come here and enjoy this amazing place too.

To reach Iriomote from Tokyo,

first fly to Ishigaki which takes about three hours.

From there, it's 40 minutes by high-speed ferry.