Blakiston's Fish Owlシマフクロウ

Ketupa blakistoniEN— Endangered

Blakiston's fish owl is one of the largest owls in the world, a huge fish-hunting owl of riverine forests in Hokkaido, Sakhalin, and the Russian Far East. Long revered by the Ainu people as a guardian deity, it has been pulled back from the brink of local extinction through decades of nest-box and winter-feeding programs in Japan.

Blakiston's Fish Owl (reference photo)
Photo: MIKI Yoshihito / CC BY 2.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification
Strigiformes / Strigidae Source
Distribution
Found in central and eastern Hokkaido, Sakhalin, and the southern Kuril Islands, with additional populations of 250–400 birds in Russia's Primorsky region. Source

Did You Know?

  • Its Hokkaido population fell to around 70 birds in the 1970s, but conservation efforts since 1984—including nest boxes and winter supplemental feeding—have helped it recover to about 165 birds in eastern Hokkaido today. Source
  • Revered by the Ainu people of Hokkaido as "Kotan koru Kamuy," the god that protects the village, it is among the largest living owl species by weight and wingspan. Source

Where to See This Species

8 facilities · 0 individuals

釧路市動物園 (Kushiroshi Doubutsuen)HokkaidoJR釧路駅から阿寒バスで約55分、または自動車・タクシー・レンタカーで約27分(18km)。

釧路市動物園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

札幌市円山動物園 (Sapporoshimaruyama Doubutsuen)HokkaidoOpened in 1951

札幌市円山動物園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

長野市茶臼山動物園 (Naganoshichausuyama Doubutsuen)NaganoJR篠ノ井駅が最寄り駅。

長野市茶臼山動物園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

東京都恩賜上野動物園 (Toukyoutoonshiueno Doubutsuen)TokyoOpened in 1882

東京都恩賜上野動物園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

Asahiyama ZooHokkaidoOpened in 1967

シマフクロウのWikipedia記事に飼育施設として記載 Source

Hirakawa ZooKagoshimaJR指宿枕崎線「五位野駅」から徒歩約20分、またはバスで「福平農協前」から「谷山・動物園行き」に乗車し終点下車。

シマフクロウのWikipedia記事に飼育施設として記載 Source

秋田市大森山動物園 (Akitashioomoriyama Doubutsuen)AkitaJR秋田駅前バスターミナル西口7番線から秋田中央交通「新屋線」で約30分。

シマフクロウのWikipedia記事に飼育施設として記載 Source

那須どうぶつ王国 (Nasudoubutsuoukoku)Tochigi東北新幹線「那須塩原駅」から車で約50分(無料シャトルバスあり・要Web予約前日17時まで)。

シマフクロウのWikipedia記事に飼育施設として記載 Source

Conservation Story

Conservation Status

IUCNではEN(絶滅危機)です。日本では特に保全上重要な種です。

Habitat

大木のある森林と河川、湖沼の周辺。

Threats

Conservation & Breeding Efforts

Sources

ja.wikipedia.org

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FAQ

How rare is Blakiston's fish owl?
It is one of the rarest owls in the world; Japan's population fell to roughly 70 birds in the 1970s and has since recovered to about 165 through sustained conservation work. Source
What does Blakiston's fish owl eat?
It hunts mainly freshwater fish from rivers and streams, but will also take amphibians, crustaceans, small mammals, and other birds. Source

Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org