Visitor Center Report

The sun had already been up for several hours, but the Cervus nippon yesoensis in the photo were still sleeping on the ground.
I didn’t notice them there and stumbled upon them. They detected my presence, though, and woke up immediately.
Did they notice me because they were just about to wake up? They seemed relieved for a moment, but then quickly sensed the situation and dashed off into the woods.
Lately, the mournful cry of the bucks can be heard echoing through the gorge, day and night. You can learn more about this cry in Visitor Center Report No. 58. Please take a look. (To be uploaded later this month.)
Photo: Cervus nippon yesoensis Nov. 6

It’s called madarasuzu in Japanese.
It has patchy black-and-white pattern on its legs (madara in Japanese); suzu refers to a small cricket.
That’s right: It’s a cricket.
It is a small cricket measuring about 6 mm in length. Although the full force of winter has yet to arrive, you can hear it chirping now, even when the temperature falls below the freezing point.
While it may be a little hard to believe, the area around the entrance to Momijidani Valley, which is a popular place for walking in the Sounkyo Gorge, is the source for the Sounkyo Onsen hot springs.
Hot spring water comes up from numerous points in this area.
The crickets are able to remain active during the cold winter months thanks to the geothermal heat produced here.
They make a “jii, jii,..” sound when chirping.
Right now, these insects known for being heard even in the dead of winter are chirping lively.
Wouldn’t you like to hear what they sound like?
Photo: Madarasuzu (Pteronemobius nigrofasciatus) Momijidani, Sounkyo Nov. 6