Japanese fauna

動物群 dôbutsugun

Large mammals in Japan include the brown bear in Hokkaidō, the Asiatic black bear in Honshū, sika deer and the Japanese serau (a goat antelope). Native species include the Japanese macaque, which is native to the Shimokita Peninsula (Aomori Prefecture), making it the northernmost monkey population in the world. As the archipelago is surrounded by sea in every direction, a large number of bird species are waterfowl. From north to south, Japan is an important stopover for migratory birds. Birds breeding in Siberia find their winter quarters here, while those breeding in Japan migrate towards Southeast Asia in winter.