Pop Japan

Japanese martens, or nihon ten as the Japanese call them, are weasel-like animals but much larger and more powerfully built. Its known for its scientific name, Martes melampus melampus. They are found on the islands of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu in Japan as they reside along valleys, primarily broad-leaved forests. Males are 45-49 cm long (females 41-43 cm) and the tail adds another 17-20 cm. They weigh 1.3-5 kg. In winter they have orange fur and a white face, often with paler fur at the throat. In the summer, the coat changes and the face turns black.

Although its numbers are not large, this subspecies is legally protected. Population sizes have dropped all over Japan because of excessive hunting for fur and because of the harmful effects of agricultural insecticides.

So keep an eye out for these cute creatures. They will surely make you go kyaaa~

Photo by Toshihiro Gamo. Licensed under Creative Commons. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

Tags: others, Animals, Japanese martens, nihon ten, Martes melampus melampus, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, legally protected animals