In the morning, as I was walking along the path through the forest toward the bear house, I came across footprints of various animals. Now, everyone, who is the owner of these footprints? ! (Hint) Footprints extending in a straight line on the snow. She is adorable and popular. Kenkenpa, Kenkenpa, whose footprints belong to this? 　 ★The correct answer will be announced in the next blog★ You can also see the footprints of Ezo deer around Sahoro. During the winter when food is scarce, animals struggle to survive. All living creatures, including those that hibernate in the winter like brown bears and those that remain active during the winter, are all working hard to survive. I hope the owners of the footprints left in the snow field can make it through the winter safely! [Ito]

It's already been a week since 2009 started. The cold days are continuing, but are you sure you haven't caught a cold? In the wild, brown bears collect bamboo, dead leaves, twigs, etc. in their ``wintering holes'' and make beds with them. This will also help protect you from getting cold from the ground and from getting wet from direct contact with water. Bear's wisdom for spending a comfortable winter stay is impressive. At Bear Mountain, where a large number of animals are kept in artificial winter shelter, it is impossible to collect a winter's worth of dead leaves and twigs, so rice straw is used for bedding. Therefore, we try giving one or two bundles to the bears whose normal movements have become slow. Then, they each carefully gathered up a piece of straw that was scattered around the bedroom with both hands, put it in their mouths and chewed it up briefly, and kneaded it with both hands to make it soft.Each of them created their own bedding in their own way and began to sleep on it. Individuality can also be seen in the location and shape of their beds. → By the way, bears who are not ready to stay in the winter will scatter straw all over the room and make a mess. In the natural world, it is said that one of the factors that causes ``winter confinement'' is a drop in temperature and snowfall, but when it comes to ``artificial winter confinement'', bedding may also be involved. The reason why I felt this way was that even though the bear was pounding on the chute door and had no signs of going into winter hibernation, I gave it some bedding to try out, and it immediately started making a bed and sleeping on it. Also, this may be said because the behavior of knocking on the door has disappeared. At Bear Mountain, we are now preparing for a full-fledged winter retreat. [Ito] (Bonus) Experience the comfort of the bed and see the back of a certain zookeeper!

happy new year. It's a bit windy today at Sahoro, but we're celebrating New Year's Day with blue skies. Now, in mid-December, before the winter hibernation, we gave her a ``Kagami-mochi'' homemade by the breeding staff, following the Christmas cake. After viewing the exhibit (after confirming the object), the brown bears immediately held Kagami-biraki and ate fruit-filled ice cubes shaped like rice cakes for an early New Year's event. We hope that 2009 will be a good year for everyone, and we hope that many of you will come to Bear Mountain and meet us. Thank you for your continued support this year.

There is a theory that brown bears in the wild go into ``winter hiatus'' due to a combination of the accumulation of snow, their inability to find food, and their hunger, as well as the drop in outside temperature. In order to prove this, even at Bear Mountain we have periods where we do not feed the animals. We were also worried that the continued warm days would affect the animals' ability to stay in the winter, but due to the effects of low pressure over the past few days, the outside temperature has dropped significantly, and even inside the animal enclosure, the temperature has dropped to -5 degrees Celsius, creating the conditions for the animals to stay in the winter. In nature, their winter burrows are earthen holes or rock holes on mountain slopes, and in rare cases tree cavities are also used. So the other day, I installed blinds (using a control panel) on the iron bars in the animal enclosure bedroom to make the room darker so the bears could sleep calmly. 　→　 It also has a small peephole so you can observe the sleeping bear. 　→　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　“What are you doing?” I also wanted to feel like a bear, so when I entered the room, it was dim and unexpectedly quiet, like a different world isolated from the outside world. ``I can't believe I'll spend the next few months sleeping...'' I was once again impressed by the amazing abilities of brown bears. Before the blinds were installed, the bears were fidgety and restless when zookeepers entered the enclosure, but after the blinds were installed, some of the bears began to calm down. Continued from ~Wara Edition~ [Ito]

Siberian huskies Sarah (1 year old female) and Moko (8 months old) have become mascots for visitors to the ski resort. Sarah has a brave face but a kind personality. Moko is still a spoiled naughty girl and always follows Sarah around saying, ``Let's play, let's play!'' 　 Sara and Moco's favorite thing to do is go for a walk. They especially seem happy when walking on snowy days, scattering powdered snow and jumping around, and playing around with each other while being covered in snow. So I tried chasing him, but I couldn't keep up with him. （＾＾；） 　 　 Sarah and Moco are still a little ``shy'' at times, but they are popular with the children and are often stroked and called by their names. I'll be at the lift ticket office every day, so if you see me, please say hi! [Ito]

Brown bears are currently in the preparation stage for hibernation. Gradually reduce the amount of food you give your pet, including fasting days (no food). What causes bears to go into winter confinement in the first place? Is it the temperature? Is it snowing? Are you starving due to lack of food? There are various theories, but there are still many things we don't understand. Therefore, Bear Mountain has been conducting ``artificial hibernation in large numbers'' for the past two years. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the mechanism behind brown bears' winter confinement and help preserve brown bears in the future. A difficult story aside, the bears are scheduled to go into ``winter hiatus'' in late December. I might be in a deep sleep around Christmas... We planned this event with the hope that the bears would be able to enjoy a delicious feast by preparing early presents. A cake filled with fruits specially made by the zookeeper! （＾▽＾）/ The base is ice filled with my favorite apples and carrots, and a cake is placed on top. I made it with all my heart, but I wonder if they will enjoy it! As a representative of the 18 animals, we decided to have Santa, the youngest male, eat the food. Of course, I also shared some fruit with the other bears. Let me tell you how Santa is doing. Santa went out to the sub-paddock and was sniffing around the trees without noticing the cake that was placed in the center, but when he suddenly noticed the cake in the center, he slowly approached it and asked, ``What is that?'' Santa's personality is to be cautious when he discovers something new! I sniffed a bit and took a bite of the decorated apple...I copied the cake! As if thinking, ``This is delicious,'' he started eating, making puff-puffing noises and moving his mouth vigorously. After finishing the cake, she bit into the ice and ended up playing with it on her stomach. I hope all the bears were happy with the early Christmas present! I hope this will help you sleep and have good dreams. [Ito]

This year, the temperatures are high, and the bears are in good spirits, with no signs of sleeping much (winter confinement). Until I fell asleep, I said, ``I want to go outside, please let me out quickly!'' ” and are knocking on the door to appeal. I made some toys for the bears who look bored even when they go outside in the snow. ←It is made by connecting two rings with a string. As soon as I threw it to him, he started playing with it, as expected of a playful Santa! Santa is a very active bear (^-^) He also purrs! It was worth making this game to have so much fun playing it. I'm looking forward to having a ``hippikiko'' with someone next time. ...Please don't fight (lol) [Keeping Kurokawa]

I've been working at the ski resort for about a week now. Today I went to the animal shelter for the first time in a while to see how the bears were doing. When I went there, the bears were in the sub-paddock during the period when they were being housed, and they were waiting for the preparations to be made, shouting, "Hurry up! Dinner!" Inuo! long time no see! I messed with the joiner who was first in line, and he got mad at me, so I rubbed his back as if I wasn't going to lose. Lionmaru! You are peaceful. The bears' bodies are dirty because they were lying in the mud before the snow fell. I would like to wash them, but their fur will freeze at this temperature (^^;) However, even if we continue into winter, there are some individuals whose fur will become shiny in the spring. I wonder if the dirt can be removed by rubbing it against the bedding? Or do we experience physiological changes when we stay in the winter? It's difficult for humans, who don't have the ability to stay in the winter, to figure out what's going on. The bears have now passed their feeding period and are gradually reducing their food intake. As soon as I reduced the amount of beets (used as a raw material for sugar and is widely cultivated in the Tokachi region) that was mixed in with the dog's food, his stools became loose, so I reviewed the contents of his food and adjusted the amount of beets. Then, it turned out to be a good flight. Changing just one type of food can make such a big difference. Despite their large bodies, they are actually very delicate creatures. ←Food for 18 bears While I was visiting the bears, Sara and Moko were waiting for me. 　　←Atsuko and Yuki are doing well♪ [Ito]

2nd day of the ski resort opening The weather is nice today, with temperatures below freezing even during the day. The air is clear and you can enjoy a pleasant view. A photo of the direction of Mt. Daisetsu from the 7th lift landing area. From the left, you can see Tomuraushi, Mt. Ishikari-dake, Nipetsu, and Upepesanke. [komiya]

Sahoro Resort Ski Resort opened today, one day later than scheduled. Skiers and snowboarders who had been looking forward to winter were enjoying the feel of the North Street course as they skied it, and it looked like they were having a lot of fun♪ While taking photos, everyone was so excited that I thought, ``If it's going to be so much fun, I want to ski.'' By the way, the brown bears are not asleep yet. The breeding staff are currently engaged in a variety of tasks. In addition to raising animals, you can also become lift ticket issuer, rental staff, and cableway operator for lift operation! As ski resort staff, we welcome everyone while caring about the brown bears. And then a husky dog ​​came to the ski resort　He U・x・U　HeU・x・U If you love dogs, please say hello to them on your way to and from the ski slopes. *Please do not feed her. Left) Sarah, 10 months old♀ She is scared and immediately hides in the house. Right) Moko, 6 months old♀ Play with her x2♪ Please get her attention~I love it

It's been a long time since I last updated. Authentic winter is finally here. The ski resort is also scheduled to open on the 24th, so it's been a busy day. Not only the mountains but also the city is covered in snow, and the illuminations in front of Shintoku Station are beautiful this year too! (←This is a photo from last year) We had a cute guest come to our house yesterday. I was planting sunflowers in my garden, and it seems like they came to eat the fallen seeds. This spring, I was building a nest and raising my young inside the ventilation fan, so I won't be able to turn on the ventilation fan for a while! (I was moved to see them safely leave the nest...) Our home is popular with sparrows. Well, today we brushed off the snow that had piled up on the fall prevention nets on both sides of the promenade! I bent down and shoveled...it was a difficult task for someone like me who doesn't have enough exercise (´△｀;) It was so quiet inside the park, which was completely covered in snow, that I felt a little lonely. Next time, as winter approaches, I will do my best to update you on the bears' current situation. [Ito]

Business Period April 25, 2015 – October 18, 2015 ■Closed Days April 28, May 12 and 19, June 9, 16, 23, and 30, October 6 and 13 *The park was closed on May 26 (Tuesday) and June 2 (Tuesday), but will be open as usual for groups. However, the bear watching bus will be reserved for groups until around 10am. Business hours 9:00 – 16:00 *Last entry 15:20 *Business hours are subject to change. Thank you for your understanding. Bear watching bus operating hours All days 9:20, 9:50 10:20, 10:50 11:20, 11:50 12:20, 12:50 13:20, 13:50 14:20, 14:50 15:20 GW5/3 – 5/5 9:00, 9:20, 9:40 10:00, 10:20, 10:40 11:00, 11:20, 11:40 12:00, 12:20, 12:40 13:00, 13:20, 13:40 14:00, 14:20, 14:40 15:00, 15:20 *Schedule may change depending on group reservations or congestion.

When releasing bears into a sub-paddock, we have to select members based on the compatibility of the bears, rather than just randomly releasing them. This is because when a strong bear and a weak bear are together, it can put pressure on the weak bear to avoid getting injured in a fight during the critical period before the winter retreat. Every morning, I stare at the bear's room allocation chart (a list of which bears are in which rooms) and try to figure out what's going on. Today's members were all bears with peaceful personalities, just like today's Warm and Koharu weather. After walking around the sub-paddock and rubbing our backs, we each started basking in the sun in our own spots. Hmm? This…this feeling might be true! Is it a coincidence? ! They are perfectly aligned like the planets are in series! ! Rokuta, Kouta, and Joyner from the front Hmm, that's amazing...Joyner always has a seated look in his eyes. From a different angle - Kouta's back view Hiroki is doing his best to rub his back in the relaxing group. There was a toy that came out when you filled it with food and rolled it, but it broke due to the bear's strength, so I didn't use it for a while. Joyner didn't sleep and was wandering around all the time wondering if there was anything interesting to do, so I tried giving it to him. Everyone came closer and looked at the toys that were being rolled around and broken. As expected, the one I played with for the longest time was the ``Playful Joyner.'' [Keeper: Ito]

The bear panel in the center of the bulletin board has also been covered with plastic to protect it from the winter. The pond that was once crowded with frogs and salamanders laying their eggs in the spring is now quiet. The bear pond has also been drained! 　 ↑Last year, the straw that the bear used to hide in the winter was on display. Will I sleep again this year? ! I entered the park for the first time in a while. It was quiet with snow piling up in places (^^) [Keeper: Ito]

When I was sorting through my photos, I found some from last year and couldn't help but look at them nostalgically. BEAR Mt. I would like to upload some photos that look abstract (←also abstract ^^;). 　 　 　 　 　 　 　 　 We are really happy when bears act according to their own will and show us the dynamism of life. [Keeper: Ito]

Currently, the bears are living in the animal enclosure and sub-paddock (playground). They eat food in the animal pen, sleep, bask in the sun in the sub-paddock, get back rubs... After eating the food, they all fall asleep with full stomachs. MISUMI's amazing "Hara" is full! Eat only what you like and eat the rest... Mr. Joyner! I hope they eat it properly without leaving any leftovers. Well, our preparations for winter are progressing at a steady pace. Removing electric fences, draining water from facilities, preparing vehicles in the park for wintering, installing control panels on the grids of animal enclosures, maintaining roads, moving offices...It's something that happens every year, but every year I find myself thinking, ``Wow, that's all there is to it!'' I'm sure we're not the only ones who feel like winter is getting closer and closer. Bears, please do your best to prepare your bodies for winter (^u^)/ [Keeper: Ito]

Today we also prepared a rope ring for Santa's plaything. He didn't seem to mind the tree branch I had thrown at him, just sniffing it... After all, his eyes were on Takurin. push! It seems like you're curious about the unique elasticity. Can you see anything...? 　 　 Do bears and humans alike want to put their hands on Wakka? Santa's eyes are serious! 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Last time I put it in the pond and played with it. I like him (^^) However, Santa suddenly looked up and looked outside the fence. Heavy machinery was being used today to maintain the roads in the park, and this is something Santa has never seen before. I trotted over to check on him, but he suddenly became scared and ran away in a panic. When I got closer, it was bigger than I expected! Did you think so? The bear was fine, but Santa was keeping an eye on him. Today was a very exciting day for Santa. [Keeper: Ito] Happy pumpkin snack♪

Bear Mountain = Bear Well, it's obvious that there are bears, but there are also goats. He usually lives in a shed near the animal shelter, but this fall he even went on a business trip to a place near the bus stop (^^) He is a Saanen breed native to Switzerland and has a large body. (They have great strength too!) Left: Yuki-chan Right: Atsuko-chan Atsuko has horns. We sometimes butt heads, whether we're on good terms or not. When I went on a business trip, customers called out to me, ``Hello, Yuki-chan,'' even though they didn't know my name. After all, the name Yuki is a standard name for a goat! All of the bears at Bear Mountain are male, and among the keepers they are idols. When Atsuko is in a bad mood, she sometimes lashes out at the hand you hold out to her, but she also has that annoying side... (*´U｀*) The goats have also grown their winter coats, and are they ready to survive the winter? The snow from the other day had completely melted and the sun was warm today. The goats were also basking in the sun and looking comfortable. [Keeper: Ito]

I came to work today and was surprised! After all, the weather in the mountains is completely different...it's snowing! snow! The ski resort is also clean. The road to the animal shelter is also clean. Is it “juyuki” instead of rime? ! The branches sagged under the weight of the snow, creating a beautiful tunnel! How will the bears react to this year's first heavy snowfall? I immediately took Santa out to the sub paddock. 　First of all, I'll give you a back rub. I'm carefully covering all the trees... trotting around! It really looks like fun~ (´▽｀)／ Dengurigaeshi! They have fun by intentionally sliding their feet, fiddling with snowballs floating in the water with their paws, and even try to climb trees. I received a rubber cable ring (I didn't need it when the ski lift was being repaired), so I gave it to him, and after chewing on it, he started playing with it by putting it through his front legs. Santa is 7 years old, the youngest at Bear Mountain, and still quite a naughty boy (^^) We were very happy to see Santa having so much fun. ···but! I thought this snow would stop and melt soon, but it didn't stop even after noon or after dark. The roads within the resort grounds were so deep that snowplows were dispatched... There was more than 15cm of snow on the roof of the animal house; I was scared to go home by car. Is it time for wild bears to shut up? That's what I thought when I saw the white mountains. [Keeper: Ito]

It rained last night in the town of Shintoku, which is only about 15km away from Sahoro. The weather forecast was for it to turn into snow, but the temperature continued to rain as the temperature did not drop. Was it not that cold? When I went to work thinking this, I was suddenly greeted with a snowy landscape from around the first station of Karikachi Pass. °. °. °. °. ヽ. However, during this time of year, the temperature rises during the day, so it melts quickly. It rains and melts, it rains and melts again, and then it turns into root snow and snow begins to accumulate. Snow that melts during the day turns into water, and if the road remains wet and cools at night, it can lead to ice burns and accidents. If you drive a car, have you changed your tires yet? Sahoro Resort Hotel will be closed for maintenance until November 22nd, but we had some cute guests this morning!

Good evening, this is Kurokawa, this is my first time writing a blog. My blog debut is today, but I have been working as a zookeeper at Bear Mountain since it opened. What I have is food to give to the bears. The contents include beets, corn, and bear pellets that are in season. Soak these with water and mix to complete the rice (bear version). There's something written on the box, what should you read? Hint: Hi○ma It's so heavy! Shoot quickly! Also add carrots. Carrots alone weigh 12 kg. Bears love carrots! I eat a lot. We also give pumpkins, apples, watermelons, etc. depending on the season. Seeing them eating happily is a moment of bliss for us. I love Misumi... I usually leave them like this in each room and wait for the bears to return. I tried decorating! (Scary...;) [Keeper: Kurokawa]

Today is anesthesia day. Blood sampling, weight measurement, physical measurements, etc. All must be completed while the bear is sleeping. As for the bears, of course they'll be given anesthesia by injections, so there's no reason they're in a good mood (｀△´)≡3 One bear makes a growling sound, and another bear threatens to face a blowgun that has fallen on the floor and says, ``You're the one who made me hurt!'' However, today's canter didn't get angry, didn't make any noise, and didn't make a sound even though the needle was stuck in it... As if he had just reached some kind of enlightenment, he remained calm and held his head in a dignified manner. Everyone couldn't help but be impressed by the ``manly'' appearance of Canta. Now, once the bear is completely asleep, work begins. Feel the bear's body to see if it's in good shape for the winter. He has thick winter fur...it's so fluffy (*^u^*) Are there any scratches on his body? The soles of your feet are quite soft! 　Weight measurement. Place the bear on the sheet and lift it up. Oh...it's heavy! ! 　Blood collection. The work was carried out under falling snow. The air hurts now! Anesthesia work is an opportunity to do things you wouldn't normally be able to do. I'm sure you don't like being pricked, but I hope the bears do their best! [Keeper: Ito]

Today, more than two weeks after "It's about to snow!" on October 10th, it finally snowed. I'm sorry for being a liar even though I declared, "I'll be down in mid-October." I apologize for the inconvenience, but I took a photo of the blue sky and white mountains from in front of the Sahoro Resort Hotel, so please excuse me. (*_ _) Now, what the bears are doing is undergoing an autumn health checkup, which includes weighing them. We received 788 entries for the October event weight guessing contest. Those who answered correctly will receive next year's annual passport as a gift, so I'm sure you all looked carefully and expected that. The correct answer will be announced on the web on December 1st, so please wait patiently. The breeding staff has also been very busy since the zoo closed! He is wearing warm winter clothes to work outside, and his body looks as big as a bear before winter. With their large bodies, they not only perform health checkups and take care of the bears, but also work at a rapid pace to clean up before the snow piles up.