Tsushima Leopard Cat Population Shows Signs of Recovery, Japan’s Environment Ministry Finds

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:06 JST, April 4, 2026

The population of the Tsushima leopard cat, considered at risk of extinction, is showing a recovery trend according to survey results announced by the Environment Ministry on Wednesday.

The Tsushima leopard cat is a national natural monument found only on the remote island of Tsushima in Nagasaki Prefecture. The ministry found that the habitat of the species had expanded due to measures to help it, such as certain forestry practices and deer controls.

Such surveys started in 1985, and the latest one the sixth. This survey was conducted from fiscal years 2020 to 2024.

Tsushima is divided into two main parts, Kaminoshima and Shimonoshima. The latest survey further divided Kaminoshima into 63 areas and Shimonoshima into 42 areas. The survey used feces analysis and automated camera trapping.

As in the previous survey, the population on Kaminoshima was estimated to be approximately 90 to 100 individuals. While the population on Shimonoshima could not be precisely estimated, the survey found that the distribution area had expanded, indicating an overall increase.

Comparison with the previous survey shows that the downward trend had halted. The center said, “We will foster coexistence between humans and the Tsushima leopard cat, implementing countermeasures such as traffic accident prevention.”