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| "Honshu-wolf4" by Ｋａｔｕｕｙａ from ja. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Honshu-wolf4.jpg#/media/File:Honshu-wolf4.jpg |
The
Honshū wolf (
Canis lupus hodophilax), known in Japan as the
Japanese wolf or simply
wolf , is one of the two extinct subspecies of the gray wolf once endemic to the islands of Japan. The Honshū wolf occupied the islands of Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū in Japan. The other subspecies was the Hokkaidō wolf, native to the island of Hokkaidō.
Honshū wolves, the smaller descendants of mainland gray wolves, were
plentiful in the country of Japan. They were the smallest known wild
subspecies of
Canis lupus; they measured about 35 inches (90 cm) long and 12 inches (30 cm) inches at the shoulder.
Their population began to decrease in 1732 when rabies, first reported in Kyūshū and Shikoku,
was introduced to the area they inhabited. It affected different wolf
populations all through the nineteenth century. Most argue that it was
humans that brought the virus to Japan, trying to kill the wolves on
purpose. It is also believed that local domestic dogs in the regions may
have transported the disease. Either way, along with intense human
persecution, the wolves proceeded into extinction.
The last known specimen died in 1905, in Nara Prefecture.
Some interpretations of the Honshū wolf's extinction stress the
change in local perceptions of the animal: rabies-induced aggression and
deforestation of the wolf's habitat forced them into conflict with humans, and this led to them being targeted by farmers.
Other sources say the wolves were killed off as a national policy.
There are currently eight known pelts and five stuffed specimens of the Japanese wolf in existence. One stuffed specimen is in the Netherlands, three are in Japan, and the animal caught in 1905 is kept in the British Museum. Owing to its small size the Honshū wolf's classification as a subspecies of the gray wolf is disputed.
The wolf was afforded a benign place in Japanese folklore and religious traditions: the clan leader Fujiwara no Hidehira was said to have been raised by wolves, and the wolf is often symbolically linked with mountain kami in Shinto. The most famous example is the wolf kami of Mitsumine Shrine in the town of Chichibu in Saitama Prefecture.
Sightings of the Japanese wolf have been claimed from the time of its
extinction to the present day, but none of these have been verified.
The Honshū wolf was the world’s smallest known wolf. From nose to tail,
it grew to about 35 inches in length and stood about a foot tall. It was
said that the Honshū wolf much more closely resembled dogs, coyotes and
jackals than its Siberian wolf ancestors due to their short wiry hair
and a thin dog-like tail that was rounded at the end, along with their
short legs. Therefore, the Honshu wolf is argued to be its own species
instead of being a gray wolf subspecies because of these physical
differences.
The Honshū Wolf was known to eat animals much larger than it, including
deer and wild boar. Farmers appreciated their appetite for smaller
animals such as rodents and hares, which reduced the number of farm pests.
The specialized, strictly carnivorous
diet was one of the many reasons the Honshū Wolf became extinct. As
wolf populations increased, they required more of their exclusive diet
to maintain their numbers, which could not be sustained by the local
fauna.
Honshu wolves were abundant in Japan until 1732 when rabies
was introduced to the island. It was rabies, deforestation of the
wolf's habitat, and conflict with humans that led to their extinction.
The last specimen was officially killed in 1905 in Nara prefecture.
Although there have been many sightings claimed since then, none of
them have been verified. There are five known mounted specimens: three
in Japan, one in the Netherlands, and the last officially killed specimen in the British Museum.
The Honshu wolf is a prominent figure in Japanese folklore and
culture. The mountains of Japan, seen as a dangerous, deadly place, are
highly associated with the wolf. The Honshu wolf is believed to be the
protector and guardian of the mountains, where it resides in its most
remote parts. Many mountain villages, such as Okami’iwa (Wolf Rock) and Okamitaira (Wolf Plateau), are named after the wolf; this could be due to a sighting at the location, or a simple homage to the species.
Sightings of the Honshu wolf were very rare, and the wolf was described
as being more of a spirit entity protecting travelers. Some legends
bring this to a whole new level, where abandoned infants are found and
raised by the wolves. The wolves also protect surrounding villages from
the dangerous wildlife.
The spirit form of the Japanese wolf, which has been worshiped since ancient times, is called
makami (真神). It is believed to understand human speech, reward good, and punish evil.
Makami shrines are found in Saitama, Shizuoka, and Tokyo.
Some villages have wolf charms called
shishiyoke, that
protected their village and their crops against wild boar. In addition,
other protective shrines can be found in many villages, especially on
the Kii Peninsula. In some villages, such as in Gifu prefecture,
the skull of the wolf was used as the charm for both protection as well
as curing possessed villagers. In addition to protecting the crops, the
wolf may leave prey for villagers.
A tradition called
inu no ubumimai
consists of giving a mother Honshu wolf rice when she gives birth to a
cub. In return, the wolf would protect the village and assist in danger,
or leave the village in times of famine.
Some legends portray the Honshu wolf as being prophetic creatures. In
the Tamaki Mountains the location of a tree called “the cypress of
dog-howls” is said to be the site where wolves howled before a flood in
1889, warning the villagers.
The Honshu wolf was not commonly killed by villagers, and attacks were
rare. Some folklore states that the killer of a Honshu wolf faced
punishment from the spiritual world. Legends also describes the wolf as
being concealed by the environment, and that its fur changes with the
seasons to further camouflage itself. In many local cultures, therefore,
the Honshu wolf is believed not to be extinct; it was always difficult
to find.
- Source: wikipedia -
While this does not look all that similar to the Shunka Warakin, it did remind me of it. Yet another animal that is said to be extinct but yet there are reports of people seeing it. Now, it would seem that sometimes animals are declared extinct when really some may be left and over time they seem to make a recovery. For example, the
Javan Elephants became
extinct sometime in the period after Europeans arrived in Southeast
Asia. Elephants on Sulu, never considered native to the island, were
hunted out in the 1800s. But the elephants were rediscovered in 2006 800 miles away on the island of Borneo. The Laotian Rock Rats are another good example. They were said to have gone extinct millions of years ago, but were re-discovered in 2005. So, it is feasible to think that the Honshu Wolf may be discovered again someday.
Thanks
~Tom~
This
post by Thomas Marcum, Thomas is the founder/leader of the
cryptozoology and paranormal research organization known as The Crypto
Crew. Over 20 years experience with research and investigation of
unexplained activity, working with video and websites. A trained wild
land firefighter and a published photographer, and poet
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