Okinawan Rail Illustration

This illustration features the Okinawan rail (ヤンバルクイナ), an endangered bird native to the Yambaru forest in northern Okinawa. I was born in Okinawa, and wanted to create an illustration connected to this beautiful island, ecology, and environmental heritage. The rail has evolved for a closed ecosystem. Today, development, habitat fragmentation, invasive species, and infrastructure have reshaped that environment, placing the species at risk.