The Wildlife of the Wara River – The Japanese Giant Salamander & Fireflies (Part 2)
In the mountainous regions where the tributaries of the Wara river flow, live two primary species of fireflies: the genjibotaru…
The Wildlife of the Wara River – The Japanese Giant Salamander & Fireflies (Part 1)
The Wara river runs through a series of hamlets nestled among the mountains that span the gap between Mino and…
Nagano’s Famous Snow Monkeys – The Japanese Macaques of Jigokudani
After World War II, the mountains around Jigokudani, where Japanese macaques reside, were seriously affected by the then-developing forestry industry….
Rhinoceros Auklet on Teuri Island in spring
Many visitors come to Teuri Island in June to see the “Rhinoceros Auklet return to their nests,” but the breeding…
Winter Bird Watching in Watarase-yusuichi
Watarase-yusuichi is the largest detention basin in Japan, covering an area of 33 square kilometers. It is a vast expanse…
Okinawa Herping in the Rainy Season : in search for three species of ground geckos
We embarked on a herping expedition in rainy-season Okinawa. The main objective was to search for three species of ground…
Ochiishi and Cape Kiritappu in Winter
Since drift ice does not come to the Pacific coast starting from Cape Nosappu, seabirds from the ice-shrouded Sea of…
Migratory Bird Season on Teuri Island
Here are some of the birds we observed on Teuri Island in May 2024. This is a busy time of…
Ochishi and Kiritappu in Early Summer
In early summer, seabirds in breeding plumage and sea animals can be seen on the Ochishi cruise and at Cape…
The Japanese Pika of Tokachi-dake Mountain
In the high mountains of central Hokkaido, the lovely pika, which is said to be a survivor of the ice…
Wildlife on Teuri Island in Spring and the First Herring Spawn in 70 Years
>For information and tours of Teuri Island, click here! On April 15, 2024, the first herring spawn in 70 years…
Birds of Eastern Hokkaido in Winter
During this winter, we were able to observe many birds, including red-crowned cranes and Ezo Ural owls. The number of…
Reasons Why Teuri Island Became a Sanctuary for Seabirds
>For information and tours of Teuri Island, click here! Teuri Island is a small island with a circumference of about…
The Spectacled Guillemot : A Timeless Favorite among Teuri Island’s Seabirds
>For information and tours of Teuri Island, click here! The Spectacled Guillemot: A Timeless Favorite among Teuri Island’s Seabirds The…
The Nocturnal Creatures of Teuri Island (Hokkaido）
>For information and tours of Teuri Island, click here! Teuri Island is located at 44 degrees north latitude, so during…
Mt. Fuji in the Summer! Observing Subalpine birds at Okuniwa and the White-bellied green-pigeon on the Oiso Coast
Reported by YOSHINARI TOSHITAKE for a tour conducted from August 21 – 23. Day 1 Meeting at the Shinjuku bus…
Shiretoko Peninsula: Red Foxes Born at the Fisherman’s Hut (Banya)
We met a family of Red Fox in Rausu during the spring months, when the temperatures had not yet risen…
Seeing the Ryukyu Robin of Okinawa’s Main Island and Amami Oshima
There are two subspecies of the Ryukyu Robin (Akahige in Japanese): Larvivora komadori komadori which inhabits Amami Oshima Island, and…
Ezo Chipmunks Preparing for Winter
You might have a chance to encounter the small animals in the parks and shrines while vising the Eastern Hokkaido…
Common Guillemot observation update 2023
>For information and tours of Teuri Island, click here! Teuri Island is the only breeding site of the Common Guillemot…
White Orca (Shiretoko, Hokkaido)
In May 2023, a ‘white killer whale’ appeared in the Nemuro Strait after two years of absence. White orca /…
The key highlights for three most popular sea birds on Teuri Island (Spectacled Guillemot, Common Guillemot and Rhinoceros Guillemot)
>For information and tours of Teuri Island, click here! We have summarized the features of three species of birds in…
Seabirds breeding on Teuri Island (Hokkaido)
Common murre, Common guillemot Uria aalge Common Murre or Common Guillemot has a distinctive penguin-like appearance due to its legs positioned…
Japan’s Largest Crane Migration Site – from the Ariake Sea to Izumi (2)
There were two tours conducted in December 2022. This is the first tour report that took place Dec 12-16, 2022….
Japan’s Largest Crane Migration Site – from the Ariake Sea to Izumi (1)
There were two tours conducted in December 2022. This is the first tour report that took place Dec 7-11, 2022….
Shakotan’s Undersea Columnar Joints and Hokkaido’s Marine Life
By car from Sapporo, the Shakotan Sea is 1 hour and 30 minutes by car. The scenic spot called the…
＜Red-crowned Crane> Report for FEB, 2023 Eastern Hokkaido Wildlife Tour in the Winter
For 6 days from February 17、I traveled to Eastern Hokkaido. This article introduces the Red-crowned Cranes in the village of…
Herping Okinawa, Reptiles and Amphibians in Japan
This is a summary of the wild creatures you might encounter while herping in Okinawa. The Japanese cave gecko (Goniurosaurus…
Wildlife Sightings for January in Eastern Hokkaido
February is generally the peak season in Hokkaido’s eastern region, but what is it like in January? In this blog,…
From Japanese Bullhead Sharks to Dragon Moray Eels! Diving in Isu Oshima
At the start of July, we were in the waters around Izu Oshima. We could see Bullhead sharks, Dragon Moray…
