Nagano Chausuyama Zoo, Animal park on Mount Chausuyama, Nagano, Japan
Nagano Chausuyama Zoo is an animal facility on mountainous land that houses over 700 animals from 78 species in natural-style habitats. The enclosures use the hilly terrain to create environments that match how animals behave in the wild.
The zoo was founded in 1983 as a celebration of Nagano City's 80th anniversary. Since opening, it has focused on protecting rare animal species and breeding programs for endangered animals.
The zoo's mascot is Chatarō-kun, a red panda character 197 cm tall who took over in April 2017 from an earlier unnamed figure active since 2008. The zoo also sells red panda plush toys and tamago senbei, and in 2012 the Shin'etsu postal bureau issued red panda commemorative stamps.
The zoo sits on the slope of Mount Chausu inside Chausuyama Park in Shinonoi, south Nagano. From JR Shinonoi Station's west exit, the Zoo-guru community bus reaches the north gate in about 10 minutes and the south gate in about 15. Parking is free. From December to late February the zoo closes on Mondays, and it also closes from 29 to 31 December.
The zoo's red panda breeding record includes Chichi, mother of Futa—the male whose standing pose sparked Japan's 2005 red panda boom. Futa's daughter Furin, born in 2007, is kept here. The zoo notes its red pandas often stand at feeding times, and in 2012 a newspaper published a photo of one standing.
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