Fish owls are an indicator of the overall health of their environment. Protecting fish owls in their habitat is a way of protecting our own health. Since 2008, Fish Owl Aid, an organization of ten volunteers based in Hamanaka-cho, Hokkaido, has been working to protect and preserve fish owls and their habitat, and to educate and enlighten the general public about fish owls. Our aim is to promote collective efforts by concerned communities to preserve the fish owl’s environment as a resource for key local industries. This in turn contributes to the re-recognition of local resources, revitalization of the region, preservation of the entire ecosystem, and protection and preservation of rare wild species including the fish owl.
We are a non-profit organization working for a future with fish owls in collaboration with or with the support of individuals, corporations, and other institutions.
We conduct research on fish owl habitats with the aim of improving habitat protection methods. We also monitor breeding pairs and nesting habits. We patrol fish owl habitats, paying attention to the presence of their natural enemies, environmental changes, and human incursion, and use the results to improve our protection measures.
Using the funds from the Fish donation, we purchase live fish and release them into special feeding ponds installed as emergency assistance for fish owls that are breeding.
We plant new forests to create fish owl habitats, maintaining and nurturing the new forests to make sure that the trees take root.
Targeting children in relevant communities, we offer educational programs about fish owls. We promote understanding and interest by providing opportunities to learn and think about the connection between the environments where we live and where the fish owl lives.
The number of people who work on research and protection of fish owls is small.
Fish Owl Aid accepts requests for training from other organizations, to help people learn about fish owls and their situation and about protective activities, so that they can contribute to the preservation of environmental biodiversity, including rare species.
We are asking for your help to raise public awareness: Donate, or help by distributing information, providing opportunities for lectures, panel presentaion, exhibitions, or helping with this website where we share information and challenges relating to fish owl protection and our activities. We try to promote solutions in cooperation with various sectors.
