■Mammals of Japan - Wildlife of Japan｜Saiyu Travel

2021.04.20 update

Love Is In The Air For The Hokkaido Fox! (Teshikaga, Hokkaido)

2021 Winter Report from Eastern Hokkaido Photography Tour

Towards the end of the second half of the tour, we could encounter some Ezo red foxes in the yard of the lodge “ Masuya” in Teshikaga. Every year from the end of January to late March is the mating season for foxes; and their offspring might be born around late March to early May. We were there in the middle of mating season, in mid-February, when we saw these two foxes behaving a little oddly. While observing them, we witnessed the courting and then mating behaviors. Come April, you may be able to see the kits of this red fox pair in Masuya’s yard.
Our delightful encounter with these two courting red foxes in the snowy forest landscape was an unforgettable moment.

Mating of Ezo red foxes キタキツネの交尾｜西遊旅行

Images & Text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Feb 2021, Teshikaga, Hokkaido
Special Thanks : Lodge ” Masuya”

*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have a guesthouse, Shiretoko Serai, in Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula.

Tags: Hokkaido Fox, Red fox, Ezo-red fox, Wildlife of Hokkaido, Mating of ezo red fox, Wildlife of Japan, Kita-kitsune, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Kitsune, Wildlife tour in Japan, Teshikaga, Widlife in Japan, Eagle photography of Japan, Wildlife in Hokkaido

2021.04.10 update

Scuba diving in Bonin Islands (OGASAWARA)

This video introduces one of the best diving sites in Japan, the Ogasawara Islands, a World Heritage Site. Due to the pandemic that cancelled overseas tours, I could have a great time diving here experiencing “the wild sea” while I was there!

DIVING IN BONIN ISLANDS

This second link is of a school of twin stripe fusilier (also known as Pterocaesio marri) being chased by a longfin yellowtail (also known as Seriola rivoliana or Almaco jack), with the last part of the video having a humpback whale song in the background. This video was taken in February 2021. Annually, Humpback whales migrate to Ogasawara from the end of December to the middle of April for breeding. The island is surrounded by mother and calf whales, as well as male humpback whales, who follow the females who are ready to mate in a ‘Heat Run’ which can last for hours.

DIVING IN BONIN ISLANDS 2

Video & text : Mariko SAWADA

Tags: Diving tour of Japan, Wildlife in Japan, Scuba diving in japan, Wildlife of Japan, Scuba diving tour in Japan, Scuba diving in Ogasawara, Bonin Islands, Ogasawara Islands, Dive in Japan, Dive in Ogasawara Islands, Dive in Bonin islands, Wildlife tour of Japan

2021.03.21 update

A Hokkaido Sika Deer Carrying the Head of Another Deer (Entangled Antlers) in Notsuke Peninsula

In 2021, during the winter season, one of the trending topics in Eastern Hokkaido was the Notsuke Peninsula’s “Entangled Antlers” Ezo-Sika Deer. There was a male deer that, as they normally do, must have battled an opponent during the rutting season. However, the antlers got entwined in a way that one unlucky deer could not free itself and died. This resulted in the head of the loser being carried around like a trophy by the surviving deer.

Of course, this is the story we think has happened, but no one can really know. This is the kind of event that makes you feel what a ‘Wild Life’ these animals lead.

Hokkaido Sika Deer with dead deer head （絡み角のエゾシカ・野付半島）｜西遊旅行

We observed it for two days, and it seemed the deer had a hard time raising its head compared to the other deer. Perhaps it was too heavy? Also during that time, it didn’t move around that much, possibly due to the poor visibility.

The deer’s antlers will fall in the spring. If this stag can wait a little longer, it will be free soon. It should be able to enjoy the spring with its newfound freedom, perhaps two deer’s worth!

Video & Text: Mariko SAWADA

Observation: Feb 2021, Notsuke Peninsula, Hokkaido, Sika Deer

*Youtube : Wildlife of Japan

Tags: エゾシカ, Hokkaido Sika Deer, Ezo Sika Deer, Notsuke Peninsula, Hokkaido photography tour, Wildlife Photography in Japan, Wildlife in Japan, Wildlife of Hokkaido, 知床サライ, Wildlife of Japan, Shiretoko Serai, Wildlife tour in Japan, Wildlife in Hokkaido

2021.03.13 update

At the Ogasawara Islands, During Humpback Whale Season

One of the highlights of visiting Ogasawara (also known as Bonin Islands) in the winter months is seeing the humpback whales. During the summer, the whales have spent their days feeding on the fish near the Kamchatka Peninsula to as far as the Aleutian Islands. Then they return to Ogasawara Islands for breeding.

You can see the mother and calf whales, leisurely floating along in the water, while the males are swimming frantically in their “Heat Run,” and maybe even a baby whale breaching!

There are shallow, sandy areas on the north side of the South Island, where it is easy to see the whales because there are also some diving sites. You might even have a chance to encounter the whales while diving if you are lucky.

Humpback whale of Bonin Islands

Video & Text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Jan-Feb 2021, Chichijima, Ogasawara Archipelago, Bonin Islands

Tags: Whale Watching in Japan, Wildlife tour of Japan, Wildlife of Japan, Wildlife in Japan, Wildlife tour in Japan, Humpback Whale in Japan, Bonin Islands, Ogasawara Islands, Whale Watching, Whale Watching in Ogasawara

2021.03.05 update

Hokkaido’s Ural Owl Feeding on a Large Field Mouse

Eastern Hokkaido Winter 2021 Report

Being told that the owls aren’t in their nests that much this year, we went to check the hole in the tree where they can usually be spotted. But just as our local guide said, they were not home. This owl pair that live near the “Tsurui Dosanko Ranch,” are a favorite because they are usually quite reliable to be close by and so very cute to watch.
Eventually we could see them. I couldn’t see both of them at the same time, but one of them had caught a large Japanese field mouse (Ezo Akanezumi). This subspecies of field mouse is Apodemus speciosus ainu and it is endemic to Japan!

Ural Owl（エゾフクロウ）｜西遊旅行
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After the video was taken, the owl did not eat his prize field mouse right away, but instead put it down inside the burrow and just sat there watching us.

Video & Text : Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Feb 2021, Tsurui village, Hokkaido

Tags: Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, エゾフクロウ, Wildlife tour in Japan, Tsurui village, Ural Owl, large Japanese field mouse, Hokkaido’s Ural Owl, Ezo Akanezumi, Wildlife tour of Japan, Ezo Ural owl, Birding tour Japan, Wildlife of Hokkaido, Bird tour Japan, Wildlife of Japan, Bird Watching Japan, Birds of Hokkaido, Wildlife in Japan, Birds of Japan, Wildlife in Hokkaido