Welcome to The Animal-pathway & Wildlife Association
Animal-pathway – protect the forest and wildlife by way of the arboreal bridge.
ApWA Ｍission
Our mission is the conservation of arboreal wildlife by installing and promoting “Animal-pathway”, which is a road for arboreal wildlife.
Through “Animal-pathway”, we educate and raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity conservation of the forest, which will have a profound effect on our future generations.
What is Animal-pathway ?
“Animal-pathway” is a new phrase created by the Chairman of KEEP (Kiyosato Educational Experiment Project) Association Foundation’s Yamane Museum and the Animal-Pathway Research Society. The Animal-Pathway Research Society was founded by 2 major construction companies, both of whom gathered at the 2004 NGO/NPO round-table conference for The Keidanren Committee of on Nature Conservation and Corporations.
“Animal-pathway” is a coined phrase using both the words ‘animal’ and ‘pathway’. It is literally a path for all animals, but in particular arboreal wild animals. It is a human-made crossover bridge to connect the forests.
Road Kill
In our modern, car-oriented society, roads are necessary for our living. However, they are often built in areas where forests naturally exist and, inconsequentially, the newly created roads divide animal passes. Many creatures are killed or wounded by cars while attempting to cross over rural and urban roads. The NEXCO 3 companies recently reported that the number of road kill is over 40,000 annually. This number is even more alarming considering they manage less than 1% of the roads in Japan. We cannot imagine how many more creatures are victims of our traffic-oriented society. Human fatalities occur as well, often by accidents with large animals like the Yezo deer. We urge everyone to use caution and be extra aware of animals when using public roads, in order to avoid these disasters.
Loss of Genetic Diversity
Having a different gene in the same species allows for a variety and individuality in forms, patterns, and ecological styles and produces dominant offspring. However, when each forest is divided and isolated, the arboreal animals that move along paths can no longer intersect with species containing different genes. The result is a gradual genetic deterioration and species extinction. By reconnecting the orphaned forests together, life and all its diversity will be connected once again, as well.
