Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Center
西表野生生物保護センター24°20′ N 123°55′ EParkRainy-day optionGood with kids
The Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Center in Komi is the Ministry of the Environment's free visitor centre for the Iriomote cat and the island's rare wildlife, open 10:00–17:00 except Mondays, about 15 minutes by car north of Ohara port.
Photo Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Centre (IWCC) · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0 and others, credited in the gallery
The centre opened in 1995 as the base for protecting the Iriomote cat, and its exhibits were rebuilt and reopened in July 2022. Mounted cats and crested serpent eagles share the rooms with displays that move from the deep forest to the sea, and a driving simulator teaches you to brake for a cat stepping into the headlights. A camera feed once showed Yon, who was injured on the road in 1996 and lived at the centre for 14 years and 8 months, the longest of any in captivity.
Come before you drive or ride the island. The centre's staff publish a monthly map of recent cat sightings for drivers, and its notices flag the stretches from the Funaura causeway to Nishi-Geeta and from Nobaru to Mihara for extra care. Autumn is when kittens leave their mothers and turn up on the road, even by day.
Worth knowing
- Call the 24-hour cat emergency line on 0980-85-5581 if you see an injured or dead Iriomote cat.
- If you meet a cat, stay in the car and keep lights and flashes off it, as the centre asks.
FAQ
Quick answers about Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Centerよくある質問
Is the Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Center free?
Yes. The Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Center in Komi charges no admission. It opens 10:00–17:00 and closes on Mondays and national holidays, with a few exceptions.
When is the Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Center closed?
On Mondays (Tuesday when Monday is a holiday), on national holidays except 5 May and 3 November, on 23 June and from 29 December to 3 January. It opens 10:00–17:00 on other days.
Can you get to Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Center by bike?
Turn off Route 215 at the sign in Komi, about 15 minutes by car north of Ohara port; the bus stop is about 700 m away.
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