Japanese Serow | Wildlife Tokyo

This is a record of my experience searching for the Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) in Tokyo. I hope this will serve as a helpful guide for those who wish to find one themselves.

Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus)

Basic Information

The Japanese serow belongs to the Bovidae family, genus Capricornis, and is an even-toed ungulate endemic to Japan. Some people compare its appearance to that of a goat, with well-developed muscles in its forelimbs and upper body. Both males and females have conical horns that never shed throughout their lifetime. Their fur varies in color, including white, gray, and grayish-brown.

Habitat

Japanese serows are found in Honshu (from the Tohoku region to the Chubu region), Shikoku, and Kyushu (Oita, Kumamoto, and Miyazaki). They inhabit deciduous broadleaf forests and mixed forests in low mountainous and subalpine regions. In recent years, their increasing population has led to sightings in lower-altitude areas.

Ecology

  • Behavior: They are mostly solitary, establishing a territory of 10 to 50 hectares, which they mark to assert dominance.
  • Diet: They feed on herbaceous plants, tree leaves, buds, bark, and fruits. During snowy conditions, they dig through the snow with their forelimbs to find food.
  • Reproduction: They are monogamous, mating between October and November, and giving birth to a single offspring between May and June. Their lifespan is about 15 years.
  • Unique Behavior: In winter, they exhibit a behavior known as “Ao no Kantachi,” where they stand still for extended periods.

Other Characteristics

  • They prefer steep terrain and will flee to cliffs when sensing danger.
  • Their droppings resemble those of deer, but serows tend to leave them in concentrated piles.

Searching for the Japanese Serow

One spring morning, I set out to search for the Japanese serow by following cliffs lined with fresh new buds along a riverbank. After walking about 500 meters from my targeted location, I quickly spotted one. It stood majestically atop a large rock near the river—an unmistakable sight.

Hurriedly, I took a photo through the guardrail and undergrowth. The serow remained still for about two seconds, locking eyes with me for a brief moment before disappearing into the grass.

Continuing along my path, I was astonished to see the same individual emerge onto the trail in front of me. Once again, it stood still for about two seconds before gracefully ascending a nearby cliff and vanishing into the wild.

Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus)

This sighting took place in Tokyo. As spring in the Kanto region can still be quite cold, I observed the serow around 10 a.m.

I was amazed to find this magnificent creature inhabiting areas near Tokyo. I hope more people will come to appreciate the Japanese serow as a remarkable species, one that Japan can proudly introduce to the world.

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