A Japanese town has deployed robot wolves in an effort to scare away bears that have become an increasingly dangerous nuisance in the countryside. The town of Takikawa, on the northern island of Hokkaido, purchased and installed two Monster Wolf robots after bears were found roaming neighbourhoods in September. City officials said there had been […]
Tag: hokkaido
‘Ursine terror’: plea to improve habitat after spate of bear attacks in Japan
A spate of bear attacks in Japan has prompted calls to improve their natural habitat, as experts warned of more potentially dangerous encounters with the animals as they venture into populated areas in search of food. Japanese media have reported several incidents of “ursine terror” in recent weeks, including an attack in Ishikawa prefecture last […]
POLL: Should wolves be restored in Japan to control sika deer and save forests?
From the peak of Mt. Rausu, a clear view of the Shiretoko Peninsula opens from the Okhotsk Sea on the west to the Pacific Ocean on the east. Below, a dense green boreal forest of conifers, maples, and birch hides hundreds of brown bears and 590,000 sika deer. Japanese wolves once roamed this wilderness but […]
Wildlife Thrives in Korea’s Demilitarized Zone
It’s a tableau reminiscent of First World War entrenchments, a narrow strip of land with North Korean and South Korean soldiers, tanks, and barbed wire lining each side. Said strip is about four kilometers across and 250 kilometers long, and neatly cuts the Korean Peninsula in two. It was formed in peace talks after the […]
Summer Wildlife in Japan
For many people, Japan conjures up images of high technology, fast-paced modern cities, ancient temples and shrines, unique cuisine and intriguing traditions; but Japan is also well worth visiting for its wildlife, particularly during the summer months when escaping from the hot sweltering cities to the cooler, refreshing countryside is rewarding in itself. Not only […]
Little Ringed Plover – Charadrius dubius
This morning’s weather was terrible, but I thought I would go to Isahaya and try to see the immature Steller’s Sea Eagle that arrived last Thursday. I’d seen heaps of these raptors in Hokkaido so it wasn’t a big deal for me personally (hence waiting this long to go and try spotting it!), but it […]
Mammals of Eastern Hokkaido
During our time in Eastern Hokkaido we saw quite a few terrestrial and marine mammals, and managed to get some photos of a couple.
