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Gilhooly, R.
Wildcat threatened as projects encroach on last wilderness
2000  Newspaper

A nocturnal animal, it is famously shy of humans. Since being officially recognized as a wildcat species in 1967, it has been designated a "special national monument" and, in 1994,a national endangered species. Fortunately, Iriomote is replete with other less elusive but nonetheless are species of flora and fauna, pristine beaches and Okinawa's largest coral reef, which help take the spotlight off an animal that has, in recent years, been the stalling point for government development projects. The 160 islands of Okinawa Prefecture are sometimes referred to as "The Galapagos of the East." They are home to an exotic blend of plant and animal life, largely due to their geographical position. Iriomote, in particular, is located on the border between subtropical and tropical, according to University of the Ryukyus professor Masatsugu Yokota. It is closer to both Taiwan (200 km) and Manila (1,400 km) than either Naha (500 km) or Tokyo (2,000 km). And its topographical and ecological features have more in common with New Guinea. This is Japan's last wilderness. Millennia ago, Iriomote was tagged onto Taiwan and the Asian continent, breaking away some 500,000 years ago and taking with it a natural heritage that has since evolved under the influence of migrant Southeast Asian species of flora and fauna. Bordered by deserted fine-sand beaches and blanketed in lush subtropical rain forest, most of the island is designated a national park, helping its rich ecology to survive the kind of development that has accounted for much of Okinawa's natural heritage. 11. Gillies, C., Pierce, R., Clout,

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