Visitor Center Report

During a walk I came upon some Pteromys volans orii tracks.
I also found a lot of their droppings, so I deduced that several squirrels lived a nearby nest.
However, when I looked around, I saw nest materials scattered about.
I concluded that the nest had probably been attacked by a predator. I decided to keep coming by for a few days to keep an eye on it.
Today I finally discovered that a squirrel is in the next, although it showed no signs of wanting to come out.
Although it is a bit hard to make out, there is a squirrel in the third photo. The squirrel ventured out no farther than that.
If indeed the squirrel was attacked, I wonder why it decided to use the same nest, particularly given its high state of wariness. Or perhaps it is a different squirrel…
Whatever the case may be, I was relieved to see that the squirrel was alive.
Photos: Pteromys volans orii Apr. 1

As the temperature rises, a good deal of the snow on the hillsides around Sounkyo Gorge is melting.
However, in the mountains, it remains snow, snow, snow.
The mountain in the photo is Mt. Aibetsu, where winter is still in full force.
The snow is still 420 cm deep at the 7th Station of Mt. Kurodake. This amount surpasses last year’s depth.
Of course everything depends on the weather, but it looks like we can again expect quite a bit of snow to remain this year.
Photo: Mt. Aibetsu Mar. 27

As the temperature rises, a good deal of the snow on the hillsides around Sounkyo Gorge is melting.
However, in the mountains, it remains snow, snow, snow.
The mountain in the photo is Mt. Aibetsu, where winter is still in full force.
The snow is still 420 cm deep at the 7th Station of Mt. Kurodake. This amount surpasses last year’s depth.
Of course everything depends on the weather, but it looks like we can again expect quite a bit of snow to remain this year.
Photo: Mt. Aibetsu Mar. 27

What’s this? Vulpes vulpes schrencki resting in a snow mound by the road?
After a few minutes it rose from the snow. But wait!
It doesn’t have a tail!
There didn’t seem to be a scratch on the rest of its body, so what happened to the tail?
I could only guess, so I just prayed that it may continue to live well as it wandered off.
Photos: A tail-less Vulpes vulpes schrencki Mar. 26

The low temperature outside the center this morning was 0°C, which means we’ve finally broken away from below-zero temperatures.
It won’t be long until the long winter ends.
Even so, we can still expect days of snow for a while.
As the winter draws to a close, the Petasites japonicus sprouts have finally started to emerge.
Although they are still yellow rather than green, they gave the morning something of a spring-like feeling.
Photo: Petasites japonicus sprouts Mar. 26