AOMORI, Japan - The rare Japanese mountain mole has been found for the first time in the Shirakami-Sanchi range, a World Natural Heritage site in northeastern Japan, a university research team said, raising the possibility that the species' habitat is wider than previously estimated.
The Japanese mountain mole is often referred to as the "phantom mole" due to its limited habitat and mysterious ecology.
It mainly inhabits mountainous regions in the Chubu region in central Japan, the Kinki region in the west and the Tohoku region in the northeast. It is classified as near threatened on the Environment Ministry's Red List.
According to the team at Hirosaki University, a researcher discovered a dead mole with a body length of around 9 centimeters and a total length of about 11 cm including the tail, on a walking trail within the World Natural Heritage site in Nishimeya, Aomori Prefecture, in June 2019.
A further investigation conducted last year upon the suggestion of another researcher confirmed it was a Japanese mountain mole, based on the characteristics of its lower jaw teeth.
While the species' estimated habitat within Aomori Prefecture had previously been limited to the Hakkoda mountain range and part of Mt. Iwaki, the latest discovery raises the possibility that it may be spread across the entire Shirakami-Sanchi area spanning Aomori and Akita prefectures.
The team said the finding "may significantly redefine its known habitat."
Even in Aomori Prefecture, which is considered one of the species' main habitats, only around 20 records of the mole have been confirmed to date, with the majority concentrated in the Hakkoda mountain range.
Given that the moles have been found at various altitudes in the past, it is highly likely that they are present throughout the entire Shirakami-Sanchi area, including in Akita Prefecture, where no previous records have been confirmed.
Chie Murano, an assistant professor at the university, noted that the researchers have gained an understanding of the diversity of the Shirakami-Sanchi's ecosystem.
Capturing the Japanese mountain mole is challenging as it requires setting traps underground, making surveys difficult. But Murano said, "We aim to capture one alive in the future to learn more about them."
