The Marimo Moss Ball
The Marimo
This page is meant to provide the history of the Marimo Moss ball, generally speaking. This is by no means a care guide.
The Marimo is a rare growth form of the species in which the algae grow into large green 'balls' with a velvety appearance. Found in a number of lakes in the northern hemisphere, namely Japan, Iceland, Scotland, Estonia and in Russia, however, because of their popularity in the modern aquarium keeping hobby, their natural colony populations have been declining.
Aegagropila linnaei have been a protected species in Japan since 1920s, and in Iceland since 2006.
The species can still be found in several places in Japan, but natural populations are in declined there, also. Lake Akan, in Hokkaido, Japan is protected as a National Park and Lake Mývatn is protected as a Wildlife Nature Reserve. A great effort is spent on the conservation of the lake balls, and thus does not export the species from the country.
Marimo are a rare curiosity, and because of this there is a three-day annual festival in Japan celebrating the Marimo in which the Ainu people, the indigenous people of Hokkaido, Japan, serve a crucial role.
Because of the Marimo's appealing appearance, the lake balls also serve as a medium for environmental education. Small balls sold as souvenirs are hand rolled from free-floating filaments.
Marimokkori is a widely marketed stuffed toy character in Japan, that takes the anthropomorphic form of the marimo algae as one part of its design.
The Marimo that are sometimes sold for display in aquariums often originate from Ukaranian lakes like the Shatsk's lakes.
There is also an old Ainu Love Story associated with the Marimo Moss ball where two crossed lovers spirits metamorphosed into the Marimo Moss Balls that started in Lake Akan and spread to the rest of the region.
In Japan, the star crossed love story told by the Ainu people has come to symbolize Japanese Marimo moss balls as a token of everlasting love.
It is reported that Marimo can live for hundreds of years, and for that reason it is known now as a poetic representation of a love that can endure the weathers of time. Marimo have been given as symbolic gifts to partners who wish to spend the rest of their days together.
