Kissing Loach

The Kissing Loach, or Aymodoki in Japanese, is found in just three tiny and isolated places of Japan. The only reason the Kissing Loach hasn’t become extinct is due to substantial human involvement and conservation efforts. According to the IUCN Red List, the Kissing Loach is on the verge of becoming extinct in the wild, however it is now classed as a critically endangered species.

The IUCN Red List also predicts that if conservation efforts were to cease, all surviving Kissing Loach populations would perish. It is thought that there are less than 800 Kissing Loaches surviving in the world. A conservation area is being developed for a park in Kameoka City, which has the highest number of Kissing Loaches. Volunteers in Okayama City continue to guarantee that the area’s two populations of Kissing Loach reproduce each year.