Snow in Hakuba Area (Hasumi)

Snow in Hakuba Area

Conditions of remaining snow during May 2006 in Hokujo, Hakuba-mura, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Amphibian breeding seasons this year were more delayed than usual by 2-3 weeks with much remaining snow (a more week delay than the last year).

(A) A major breeding habitat of the salamander Hynobius hidamontanus (photographed on 3 May 2006). Note the oviposition site (wetland) surrounded by much remaining snow.

(B) A caterpillar car, just plowing deep snow that covered the forest road toward the major breeding habitat (photographed on 3 May 2006).

Accompanied Research Collaborators (alphabetical order every organization): Masaichi Kakegawa (Tokyo Metropolitan Komatsugawa Senior High School), Fujio Kishi and Yuko Saikawa (Shirouma Association of Naturalists), and Akemi Ogawa (NACS-J, Nagano Branch).