Wild animals that are commonly seen in Hokkaido. From cute ones to those that are life-threatening, we will introduce some things that only Hokkaido residents who live with animals (including a few insects) can experience.

1. Don’t touch wild foxes and keep your distance

The fluffy yellow ezo red fox can be seen in the winter. It is a typical wild animal of Hokkaido, but no matter how cute it looks, the people of Hokkaido never go near it. The reason is that it is a parasitic disease called "Echinococcus". The people of Hokkaido have been taught from a young age that "Echinococcus is scary!", so even if they see an ezo red fox, they just look at it from afar, thinking that it's better not to touch it than to be cursed by the gods.

But maybe it's just the nature of Hokkaido people to say "Rurururu" at least once.

2. Deer are bigger than you'd think

Speaking of deer, the Nara deer are famous, but the Ezo deer that live in Hokkaido are larger, with males reaching about 130cm. The size of the Nara deer is said to be about 85cm at shoulder height from the feet to the back, so you can see the difference in size. Furthermore, because they have antlers, they look much taller than an adult.

Ezo deer often appear on the road, and if you hit one, it may be your car that is damaged, not the deer. Please be very careful when driving on mountain roads.

3. Collect insects in nearby parks and woodlands

In Hokkaido, the number of children collecting insects such as cicadas increases in summer. However, in Hokkaido, where there is a lot of nature, it is common to collect insects in nearby parks and woodlands rather than going to the mountains. In the case of rhinoceros beetles and stag beetles, they may be found under streetlights near your home.

4. Hokkaido is definitely a place where bears appear

After the red fox, the most representative animal of Hokkaido is the bear. Recently, there have been many reports of bears being spotted in human habitations, but if you do see a bear, do not approach it. If you encounter one while in your car, make sure to close the windows and doors and remain calm.

5. Wild birds are flying around in the sky

Hokkaido is a paradise for wild birds, with an abundance of food in the lakes, few predators, and just the right temperature. Wild birds from all over the world visit Hokkaido. It is a spectacular sight to see large birds flying in flocks in the sky. In some areas, it is common to see large eagles and other birds perched on power lines. Even Hokkaido residents exclaim, "Wow!" when they see large birds such as red-crowned cranes on the side of the road.

6. Hokkaido squirrels are everywhere

The Hokkaido squirrel has a very cute shape. Its body is earth-colored, so it's hard to find, but surprisingly, you can see them everywhere. If you're in a park with a forest, there's a good chance they live there. The way they smoothly climb up the trees is very cute. However, they're so fast that it's best to just watch them.

7. I hardly ever see the character everyone hates, "G"

Cockroaches, or "G," are commonly seen in Honshu. They are said to be ancient creatures with incredible reproductive powers, but they are not often seen in Hokkaido, where the temperature is low. Perhaps because of this, many people in Hokkaido have never seen a cockroach.

So even if you see a cockroach for the first time, you're probably pretty cool. When I first encountered one, I thought for a second, "Maybe it's a member of the stag beetle or rhinoceros beetle family?", but after a few seconds I realized it wasn't.

Hokkaido residents coexist with wild animals

Hokkaido, with its abundant nature, is a treasure trove of wild animals. However, the people of Hokkaido do not approach wild animals and live in harmony with them. This way of keeping a good distance may be unique to the people of Hokkaido.

*Image is for illustrative purposes only.