Animal Sighting Help
Hakone Deer Information Wanted!
You too can be a wildlife researcher! In the Hakone area of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, the Ministry of the Environment is investigating the habitat of deer and working to protect forests and wetlands.. Your valuable “sighting information” will become important data!
The color of their fur is light brown with white dots in summer. In winter, the color changes to a grayish brown.
Antlers: Males have antlers. Females and young deer do not have horns. They shed their horns in early spring and grow new ones every year.
Feces: Dark brown to black in color, with a straw-shaped cleft. It varies depending on the size of the body, but it is about 1.5 cm in size. The poo of wild rabbits is similar to the poo of deer, but it is lighter in color and has more visible fibers from the plants they eat.
Footprints: Hoofprints are left on mud and snow. They are similar to those of wild boars, but they are wider and leave sub-hoof marks on muddy ground.
As a result of aggressive hunting during the Edo and Meiji periods the number of deer was on the decline. However, due to subsequent protection policies the number of deer gradually increased and their distribution expanded, causing damage to agriculture and forestry. Your sighting information can help the National Park create better measures to find a healthy balance to the ecosystem.
