Walking around Kadena Air Base the other day, I discovered a number of interesting critters living in Okinawa's lush landscape. This Japanese Wood Spider on its web was at least 6" from end to end and as big as my hand.
A large fruit bat flew past me on its way to its daytime roost. These guys are larger than a crow and are called Ryukyu Flying Foxes.
Escargot anyone? These land snails are acitve in the morning when the grass is wet with dew. The colorfully patterened shells are about 3" in length.
Not quite alive, but ubiquitous none-the-less, are the Shisa. They are a traditional Ryukyuan decoration from Okinawan mythology, often found in pairs, resembling a cross between a lion and a dog. Many people put a pair of shisa on their rooftops or flanking the gates to their houses. Shisa are wards, believed to protect from various evils. When found in pairs, the shisa on the left traditionally has a closed mouth, and the one on the right an open mouth. The open mouth wards off evil spirits and the closed mouth keeps good spirits in.
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