Visitor Center Report

“Nyctereutes procyonoides albus” woke up from hibernation.
He was dillydallying, walked slowly to find foods.

Actually “Nyctereutes procyonoides albus” don’t hibernate.
He stays still his nest and expend his own fat that he ate last autumn.
Soon it will be breeding season.
We want to see cute and healthy babies.

Lepus timidus ainu


Now is shedding season for “Lepus timidus ainu”
It has still winter white fur, soon it will turn to summer fur.
It depends on each rabbit to shed, some rabbit have almost summer fur.

Finally I took a picture of a rabbit.
Because rabbit runs over 80km per hour, and more it is the fastest mammal in Japan.

Few days ago a storm warning had been issued.
Unseasonable blizzard and heavy rain, temperature difference are very unique weather.
It is hard month for human and wild animals.

Pteromys volans orii 〈Kuroda, 1921〉
“Pteromys volans orii 〈Kuroda, 1921〉is nocturnal.
He always goes out of his nest and excretes in the early morning and go back his nest and sleeps again.
Large animals are getting active.
It is difficult for finding “Pteromys volans orii 〈Kuroda, 1921〉”.

I think that he was still sleepy.
He excreted with half-closed eyes. He looked so comfortable in the sun.

Spring is coming soon.
But it is still chilly in the early morning.
Wild animals must be patient a little more.

It has been snow storm since this early morning.
Temperature is -2°c.It is very cold morning.
The picture is “Vulpes vulpes schrencki”
Do you see fox’s tails far goes down?
We often talk about this.
This fox is sick, “Scabies”.
“Parasitic disease” is due to “Itch mite”
“Itch mite” bites in the skin all over the body.
It cause itch very much.
The skin is dry and tattered.
Finally fox dies.
Unfortunately it’s caused by human.
As Human feed wild animals, you will see this situation like this picture.
This fox is still infancy.
His far will go down and he will be blind.
Sweets and snack is bad for foxes.
They have diarrhea, and a weakened immune system.
Don’t feed wild animals.
We don’t want to see situation again.

I　met “Loxia curvirostra” after so long.
A number of flying here is very changeable.
Sometimes no “Loxia curvirostra” comes Kamikawa town.

He is little bit smaller than sparrow and very unique red or orange color bird.
He eats seeds of pine tree and buds.
His upper beak is bigger than his lower one.
Because his beak is very useful for opening pinecone and eat seeds in it.

*About Mt,Hakuun hut
Hut manager will stay in July as usual.
Staying at Hut cooperation money is 2000yen.
Camping cooperation money is 500yen.
Capacity is 25 people.
(To prevent infection for COVID19)
We will tell more detail as we know.