Continuing my recent visit to Inokashira Park Zoo (Musashino / Mitaka).
Many zoos today emphasize contact with animals; this compact site lets you enjoy things more slowly than Ueno or Tama.
Above all, the “Squirrel Trail.” In an enclosure of about 650 square meters, 4–5.7 meters high, you walk among roughly 100 free-roaming squirrels. Pass the double doors that keep squirrels from escaping and they cross at your feet; you may see one eating a walnut. I remembered giving candy to squirrels in London’s Hyde Park — but feeding is forbidden here.
The trail opened in 1989 — a quarter-century of history. According to The Mainichi morning edition of July 21, 2012, a nearby 22-meter red pine fell in typhoon winds in June that year, breaking steel supports; more than 30 squirrels escaped through torn wire mesh and the trail reopened about a month after repairs. Thirty-eight escaped squirrels were recaptured.
But today’s main topic is after leaving the trail — squirrels climbing wire mesh in another en
closure, bellies showing as they move — adorable. I tried hard to photograph them but they were too fast; using burst mode on my smartphone, I finally got the top photo.
Animal bellies — so cute!
Searching online, I found “Pouch,” a site “for women who give their all at work and in private — proposals for a relaxing life,” with a feature on cats showing their bellies: “Nyanko from directly below — unbearably cute” (http://youpouch.com/2013/10/15/138440/) ＝photo right, and fluffy baby sea otter belly photos and video (http://youpouch.com/2013/10/25/139727/) ＝photo left.
Please try being healed too.