The creatures in the forest

Macaques:

Yaku monkeys are smaller than the native macaques of mainland Japan. They are dark grey and have long thick hair. Before getting carried away about the cute and fluffy creatures however - the most important points to remember about the Yaku macaques are that:
1. They are wild.
2. They have very large pointy teeth.
There are around 7000 of them roaming the mountains and can often be seen along the side of the mountain roads and on the trails. Sometimes hanging around the villages watching traffic.

Deer:

Yaku shika are also smaller than the mainland deer and number around 7000. They can be seen on the mountain trails in the day and in the villages at night. Yes, that is one of my snowballs on its head.




See an article on the planned deer cull on Yakushima

Snakes:

The Mamushi: A poisonous viper that lurks near water.

Just to give you an idea of this delightful creature - my boss was bitten on the thumb and half his body was temporarily paralysed. Also a local resident in his 50s died from a bite. Spot it in the photo below.

But don't let that put you off the mountain trails - as soon as they spot you they slither away into the bushes.

Insects:

There are 3000 different species of insect on Yakushima. They are everywhere and often are much larger than many people are used to. If you don't like insects do yourself a favor and avoid the mountains.

The insects of note are:

Mukade:

Once found lurking in the trouser leg of my son's pyjamas, these are vicious little things and cause quite a swollen rash on the skin.

Hornets:Large kick-ass stinging machines which target you and don't stop until you're stung.

Beetles: Any size, shape and colour you could wish for.

Shake a tabu tree in the summer and watch giant horned beetles fall.

Spiders: A variety of strange looking spiders inhabit the forest.

Toads: surprisingly common on the mountain slopes.

Leeches:

A loyal bloodsucking friend to many hikers. They climb up your boot and find a nice piece of juicy leg above your sock line. They cause no harm to normal healthy people and can be left alone until they drop off filled with your blood. Should you need to remove them however, use salt.

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