Wild animals are a common sight in Hokkaido. From the cute ones to the life-threatening ones, we will introduce you to some of the things that only Hokkaido-residents who live with animals (and a few insects) can find in their daily lives.

1. Don't touch wild foxes and keep your distance from them.

The yellow, fluffy foxes you see in winter. It is a typical wild animal in Hokkaido, but no matter how very cute it looks, Hokkaido residents never approach it. The reason is a parasitic disease called "echinococcus. Hokkai-do residents are taught from a young age that "Echinococcus is scary!" So, even if they see a fox, they simply look at it from afar as if it were a god they could not touch.

However, it is probably the nature of Hokkai-do people to say "Rurururu" at least once.

2. Deer are bigger than you imagine

The deer of Nara are well-known, but Hokkaido's native Ezo sika deer are even larger, with males measuring approximately 130 cm. The size of the deer in Nara is said to be about 85 cn at the shoulder height from the feet to the back, so you can see the difference in size. In addition, they have antlers, so they look much taller than an adult.

Deer often come out on the road, and if you hit one, your car may be damaged instead of the deer. Please be careful when driving on mountain roads.

3. Collect insects in nearby parks and wooded areas.

In Hokkaido, too, children are increasingly gathering cicadas and other insects in the summer. However, in Hokkaido, which has a great deal of wilderness, it is more common to collect insects in nearby parks and wooded areas than to go to the mountains. Beetles and stag beetles may be found on lampposts near your home.

4. Hokkaido, after all...bears are out there!

After the fox, bears are the most common animal in Hokkaido. Recently, sightings of bears in people's living areas often make the news, but if you see a bear, do not approach it. If you are in a car and encounter a bear, close the windows and doors tightly and do not be in a hurry.

5. Wild birds are banging around in the sky.

For wild birds, Hokkaido is a paradise with abundant food in the lakes, few foreign enemies, and just the right temperature. Birds from all over the world visit Hokkaido. The sight of large birds flying in flocks in the sky is very impressive. In some areas, it is common to see large eagles and other birds standing on power lines. Even Hokkaido residents exclaim, "Oh, wow!" when they see large birds such as red-crowned cranes on the side of the road.

Ezo squirrels can be seen everywhere.

The Ezo squirrel has a very cute form. Their earth-colored bodies make them difficult to spot, but they are surprisingly common all over the place. If you are in a park with a forest, there is a good chance that you can find them. They are cute as can be, climbing up trees with ease. However, they are so quick that you should only look at them.

7. You hardly ever see "G," the animal that everyone hates.

In Honshu, cockroaches, or "Gs," are often seen. They are said to be ancient creatures with tremendous reproductive power, but they are not so common in Hokkaido, where the temperature is cooler. This may be the reason why many people have never seen cockroaches in Hokkaido.

So it is surprisingly cool when you see cockroaches for the first time. When I encountered one, I thought for a moment, "Is it one of the stag beetles or rhinoceros? and realized after a few seconds that they were not.

Hokkaido-residents coexist with wild animals

Hokkaido, with its abundant nature, is a treasure trove of wildlife. However, the people of Hokkaido live in harmony with wild animals without daring to approach them themselves. This way of maintaining a good sense of distance may be unique to Hokkaido-residents.

The images are for illustrative purposes only.