Photo/Illutration A sea otter at Marine World Uminonakamichi in Fukuoka’s Higashi Ward on March 30 (Yusuke Ogawa)

Three species of exotic animals took Japan by storm in 1984.

Leading off in the spring was the frilled-neck lizard, which featured in a TV commercial and captured the hearts of viewers with its humorous, waddling run on its hind legs.

In the autumn, Japan welcomed its first koala from Australia. Stuffed toy koalas flew off store shelves.

Then, an aquarium in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district became the first in the metropolitan area to house a sea otter. A real crowd-pleaser, this cuddly sea mammal would float on its back, and then change its position to skillfully crack open shellfish to devour the contents.

Japan’s captive sea otter population eventually stood at 122. But today, there are no more than three in Mie and Fukuoka prefectures, according to a recent Asahi Shimbun report. This shocked me.

The surviving otters are getting on in years and breeding would be difficult. I started lamenting when and how this could have happened, but this also seems to be the case with many other animals.

The number of polar bears and gorillas in captivity is on the decline. As for African elephants, they were down to 23 last year, having shrunk from 61 over 20 years.

One forecast puts the number at zero 20 years from now. Apparently, long gone are the days when we could see the world’s popular animals anytime.

Importing animals to increase their numbers in Japan is not a viable solution from the standpoint of wildlife protection. Even if they could somehow be transported safely, an environment like their natural habitat must be guaranteed to protect them from stress. Animal welfare is the latest trending concept in the zoological world.

Japan’s holiday studded Golden Week starts today, and I imagine many people will be visiting zoos.

At a zoo I visited in the Kanto region ahead of the holiday rush, children were cheering at a lumbering African elephant.

It would be sad not to be able to see such a scene. But I also want the animals to be happy. Is this wishful thinking?

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 29

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.