Takeshi Imazu's daily tasks are far from what a typical prefectural official handles.
For more than half of the week, he goes out to the Inbanuma marsh of Chiba Prefecture either to capture or study snapping turtles, a freshwater species that threatens local biodiversity.
Snapping turtles, considered one of the 100 most destructive invasive alien species by The Ecological Society of Japan, pose a major threat to the ecosystem and can cause serious injuries with their strong bite.
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