Hokkaido (Ezo) brown bear
Some Hokkaido (Ezo) brown bears are over 2 meters long (6.5 feet) but they are good at climbing trees and swimming. They usually live in the forest. *Do not go near them as they may attack you.
Hokkaido (Ezo) deer
Hokkaido (Ezo) deer are bigger than sika deer living in the main land with the body length of about 150 – 190cm (59 – 75in). Male antlers grow from summer to autumn. They mainly inhabit low lands and mountain forests, and can often be seen in Kushiro-shitsugen in East Hokkaido.
Ezo red fox
Ezo red foxes have dark paws and ears. They are a size larger than Japanese Red Fox living in the main land with the body length of about 100cm (40in). In Hokkaido, they live in flatlands and alpine regions. In East Hokkaido, they can often be seen in Kushiro-shitsugen. *Do not go near them as they have parasites called echinococcus.
Hokkaido (Ezo) squirrel
Hokkaido (Ezo) squirrels widely inhabit Hokkaido and they can be seen in urban parks in Kushiro and Shiretoko and in the forest. They are diurnal, but the range of their activity time depends on the season. They become active in the morning during winter and spring, and at noon during summer and autumn. You will be able to see them more often depending on the season.
Northern fur seal
Northern fur seals are a rare species so the number of aquariums that can keep them is restricted. If you are lucky, you may be able to see them in the Shiretoko area.
The land of wild birds
Blakiston’s fish owl
Blakiston’s fish owls live in the forest around Kushiro-shitsugen, especially on the shore. They are a rare species and only 140 living Blakiston’s fish owls exists.
White-tailed eagles have distinctive white feathers on the tail and can be as large as 180cm (70in) with fully stretched wings. They can be seen in summer in Shiretoko.
Meet adorable and vigorous wild birds in Kushiro-shitsugen
Kushiro-shitsugen is a treasure trove of wild birds. As wild birds vigorously living in the nature impress those who watch them, many people visit there for bird-watching. Since lots of wild birds raise offspring from spring to summer, you can see birds of all different sizes during this season. For example, you can see small birds such as Siberian rubythroats, common stonechats, long-tailed rosefinchs, and long-tailed tits. Large birds such as Japanese cranes and Steller’s sea eagles can also be seen. During mating season, the population is large so you can see various scenes such as a courtship dance. If you are planning to travel East Hokkaido, schedule bird-watching into your itinerary!
East Hokkaido, a place where you can experience plentiful nature and meet rare species. If you are planning to travel Hokkaido, why not visit a little way further to East Hokkaido!