著者

伊原 禎雄 宇根 有美 大沼 学 佐藤 洋司 新国 勇

出版者

「野生生物と社会」学会

雑誌

野生生物と社会 (ISSN:24240877)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.2, no.1, pp.37-41, 2014-12-01 (Released:2017-06-16)

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We studied the circumstances and cause of a sudden mass mortality of frogs that occurred in May 2012 in Kurotanigawa, Tadami, Fukushima Prefecture. A total of 341 dead frogs of four species were observed: (Rhacophors arboreus, Rhacophors schlegelii, Rana nigromaculata, and Hyla japonica). Most of the dead individuals (91.8%) were forest green tree frog (Rhacophors arboreus). Based on pathological and molecular biological examination for pathogen, the primary cause of death appeared to be mammalian bites. We concluded that a mammalian predator caused this mass mortality by attacking. Automatic cameras provided evidence of raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonides), civet (Paguma larvata), and raccoon (Procyon lotor). The injuries to the frogs were consistent with reports of damage by raccoons. Raccoons may cause this mass mortality of frogs.