Ryukyu rabbit tick (Haemaphysalis pentalagi)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 222530289

Establishing in-situ monitoring and ex-situ captive breeding of the co-endangered Ryukyu rabbit tick (Haemaphysalis pentalagi) in Japan

 

Our project is the first conservation program for a globally threatened parasite and highlights that no species should be left behind in the global extinction crisis. The Ryukyu rabbit tick is an endangered species from the Japanese island of Amamioshima. It has a close relationship with the endangered Amami rabbit which also inhabits the island and which serves as its main host. Our project is focused on developing standardised monitoring methods for the Ryukyu rabbit tick, assessing its distribution and abundance in the wild, studying threats to its survival and how conservation action can prevent the decline of this unique invertebrate.

We began the project by testing a range of monitoring methods, including flagging, soil sampling, and roadkill monitoring, to develop ways to detect both presence and abundance of the Ryukyu rabbit tick in the wild. Using these methods we then worked to map the distribution of the species and subsequently discovered a new population of Ryukyu rabbit ticks on a neighbouring island. This discovery brings the total number of wild Ryukyu rabbit tick populations to two! Following the establishment of the Ryukyu rabbit tick conservation program, the invasive small Indian mongoose was eradicated from Amamioshima in 2024. This introduced predator caused serious declines in the local Amami rabbit population which also caused the tick to decline. We are now studying the impacts of the eradication efforts on local populations of Ryukyu rabbit ticks.

In addition, to in-situ monitoring and conservation work on wild populations of Ryukyu rabbit ticks, we have also established an ex-situ captive breeding program for the species using separate funding. This captive bred population will further safeguard the future of the Ryukyu rabbit tick in case it becomes extinct in the wild.

We hope that this project will inspire others to develop new conservation programs in the future for other threatened species, no matter how strange or unloved they may be.