A stoat running down the red carpet 💨

In stark contrast to the stoat, a mass of muscle and a powerful dash, I was completely exhausted from concentrating on taking photos. It's an indescribable time filled with tension and excitement.

Quoted from @sachiko_photos' post

The photo shows an ermine sprinting lightly down a mountain slope dyed in autumn leaves! Its cute yet powerful appearance has led to comments on social media such as "The ermine sprint is so cute" and "It feels so dynamic."

Meeting the "mountain fairy" ermine was a "miraculous moment"

"Baby ermine" photographed by Tsuchiya in the past

The photo was taken by Sachiko Tsuchiya, who photographs wild animals in Hokkaido. Tsuchiya photographed this stoat in the Daisetsuzan mountain range in Hokkaido, where it was running around on the rocks in search of a mouse to eat.

Wild animals photographed in various seasons in Daisetsuzan

Tsuchiya says he started taking photos in Daisetsuzan in 2017 "with the sole desire to see pikas." However, even though he climbs the mountain almost every weekend, he rarely sees stoats, and "there are years when he doesn't see any at all."

Tsuchiya's first photograph of an ermine. This photo won the top prize in the contest.

Even if you are lucky enough to see one, it quickly disappears into a crevice in the rocks, and there is no telling where it will appear next. Despite all this, I managed to photograph an ermine that had turned white with its winter fur, and I have had many miraculous encounters with these "mountain fairies."

"I've only encountered this pure white ermine a few times in my nine years of attending."

"I want to protect the environment in which animals live" - Tsuchiya's passion as he continues to observe wild animals

Tsuchiya's photographs of flying squirrels are included in the calendar.

Tsuchiya usually works as a nursery teacher in Engaru, Hokkaido. She continues to take photos in her spare time, capturing the vivid images of wild animals and winning numerous awards. What's more, her photos of flying squirrels will be published as a calendar in 2026.

As he continues to shoot, Tsuchiya senses changes in the environment of nature and the animals that live there.

The sight of an ermine running through the autumn foliage-covered mountains is the very image of the strength of life striving to survive in nature. Tsuchiya's photograph, which captures this moment, seems to quietly speak to us about the beauty of nature and what we must protect.