[Report Published] Estimated 6,470 wildlife programs aired annually. Media content serves as a gateway to nature for researchers and professionals.

Biodiversity, which has been declining due to cumulative human decisions, needs to be reversed by 2030 and placed on a recovery trajectory (Nature Positive).

Where do we see and learn about such wild creatures and nature?

For many, encounters with wildlife are born not in nature itself, but through screens—via television, social media, news, and video works.

Such media has the immense power to bring creatures living in distant nature close to us, move our hearts, and spark opportunities to 'know,' 'love,' and 'want to protect.' On the other hand, depending on how it is conveyed, it can also lead to misunderstandings or inappropriate interactions with wildlife.

This is why how wildlife is framed, captured, and described in media holds significant meaning in building a society that restores nature.

ROOTs aims to research and visualize the relationship between media and biodiversity, and support decision-making that connects the future of people and wildlife by delivering scientific insights to production sites.

As our first initiative, we investigated the following:

■ 'The Current State of Wildlife Representation in Television Programs' (Published May 22, International Day for Biological Diversity)
As foundational information for considering the relationship between media and biodiversity, we systematically organized how wildlife is treated in TV programs and how these representations can influence people's perceptions and actions.

■ 'The Role of Media in Forming Interest in the Fields of Nature and Biology' (Published June 5, World Environment Day)
Based on survey results from people involved in nature and biology fields, including researchers, professionals, and students, we organized the role media has played in forming interests and careers.

What these two reports reveal is that media is not only a place to 'convey' information about wildlife, but also a vital gateway where people encounter nature, deepen their interest, and connect it to future actions.

Therefore, for content handling nature and wildlife, along with the power to convey information attractively, it is important to produce content with scientific accuracy, background context, and awareness of how it reaches viewers.

■ 'The Current State of Wildlife Representation in Television Programs'
The survey revealed that approximately 6,470 wildlife programs are aired annually on Japanese television (based on estimates from survey results between April 30 and July 30, 2025). Wildlife is a theme handled daily in television media.

On the other hand, there was a bias toward the wildlife featured in programs. There is a tendency for attention to focus on mammals and specific animals, including dogs and cats, as well as pandas, monkeys, bears, elephants, and lions. While wildlife featured repeatedly on television tends to become familiar to people, those that are not easily featured may risk being overlooked in the understanding of nature and biodiversity.

This research report compares broadcasting standards and production guidelines from domestic and international broadcasters, industry organizations, and platforms. It proposes the importance of incorporating perspectives on nature and wildlife into existing standards and applying them as actual, usable decision-making guidelines for production sites.

■ 'The Role of Media in Forming Interest in the Fields of Nature and Biology'
In this report, we asked researchers, professionals, and students involved in nature and biology fields about the catalysts for their interest from childhood through adulthood.

What emerged from the survey is that media is an important gateway that nurtures interest in nature and wildlife. In particular, the choice of media as a catalyst for interest formation was high from childhood through adolescence. Additionally, the entry point for interest changes by generation; while the presence of SNS and YouTube is increasing among younger generations, television, books, and documentaries remain important contact points. Interest formation in nature and biology is not simply being replaced from traditional media to digital media, but is thought to be occurring in a multi-layered information environment.

Each generation has 'gateway content' that reflects the media environment of that time, and these results indicate that content handling nature and wildlife can relate to long-term learning, interest formation, and future talent development.