There's no denying that Pokemon GO has gotten many gamers out into the world and exploring parks and other landmarks that they usually wouldn't even notice. This is usually a good thing, as parks get more traffic and players get some exercise, but the popularity of the game is temporarily being discouraged from a roped off area of the famed Tottori Sand Dunes of Japan.
Pokemon GO, or any other foot traffic, will no longer be allowed at a small, closed off portion of the national treasure. The roped off portion is currently restricted in order to protect the endangered cylindela elisae. In a terrible turn of events, the population of the insect species has decreased in the last few years.
Players flocked to the area to play the game during the first few years of its launch, but a recent decline in the insect's population, which could have been caused by a number of issues, has impacted the ability to play there. The area is a special protection zone of Sanin Kaigan national park. Here are some facts about the situation, provided by the Tottori Prefecture Government...
-Tottori Sand Dune is a popular tourism spot, and it is not correct to state that Pokémon GO was the cause. The event took place in November, and the drop happened in August. Therefore, there are no proof that the event had a direct impact on the drop of the insect. The cause remains unknown, but according to a specialist, the drop in the number appears to be the result of sparse rainfall and other multiple factors.
-The fenced area is only a very small area within the dune, and the fences have been put up to keep everyone away from the area.
-During the event, Niantic and Tottori Prefecture worked hard to redirect players away from the habitat and to keep Pokemon from appearing nearby.
-Tottori was pleased with the results of the events and is looking forward to having another one.
The plan is to rope off the area starting in April and keep the zone restricted for at least a year and a half until the number of the species has recovered. Unfortunately, players won't be completing any field research here.
Although Pokemon GO may have played a small factor, it's certainly not the main reason for the worry about the species. The increased foot traffic combined with low rainfall and a rise in temperatures in the area have been a perfect storm to negatively impact the well-being of the critters.
Hopefully the changes are able to help the numbers recover and Pokemon GO players are able to enjoy the game somewhere else for the time being. We'll monitor the situation for updates in the coming months and years.
Pokemon GO is available now in select regions on Android and iOS devices.
Source: asahi