Studying the Impacts of Invasive Raccoon Dogs in Japan with Kasia Majewski

Kasia is a third year PhD student at the Kyoto University Wildlife Research Center in Japan. She is presently studying the impacts of invasive raccoon dogs (locally known as tanuki) on the only two islands in Japan where raccoon dogs, or tanuki, have been identified as invasive. While they are native to mainland Japan, tanuki were introduced to Yakushima Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, and Chiburijima in the Oki Dozen Archipelago, a UNESCO Geopark. Yakushima is recognized for its immense diversity of plant and animal species, many of which may be falling prey to tanuki. Whereas in Chiburijima, the density of tanuki may be impacting the local people and livestock through the spread of parasites and diseases. Quantifying the ways in which invasive species can impact sensitive habitats is challenging – and Kasia is part of the first team in Japan to perform a long-term research project on the invasive tanuki on these islands.