Brown bears in Shiretoko grow to between 1.3 meters and 2.3 meters tall and can weigh up to 400 kilograms. Their size and bulk mean that they need a plentiful supply of food, especially before ...

When it comes to charismatic megafauna, bears are at the top of nearly everyone’s list--and not just in North America. Hikers around the world hit the trail both afraid and excited to spot one of ...

Learn how differences in diet and behavior split orcas off northern Japan into resident and transient groups — and what their DNA reveals about how those lifestyles evolved.

On the edge of the Sea of Okhotsk, Hokkaido’s northern shore is subject to punishing winds that bear down from Russia during the winter. These frigid blows also deliver drift ice — frozen chunks of ...

ay “Japan” and people tend to think of its cities: Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto. But this island nation is also a place of abundant, pristine nature. From the snowy taiga of Hokkaido to subtropical islands in ...