Summer in Ohkunoshima kills rabbits

a rabbit suffering from heat stroke)

5/6/26

The intense heat of Okunoshima is fast approaching—or rather, it is a scorching heat.

The climate on this island in the Seto Inland Sea is, quite naturally, sweltering from May through September.

Aside from the shade provided by trees, the island offers no shelters to shield one from the harsh sunlight. Yet, more than the glare itself, what is truly overwhelming is the sheer,

unrelenting humidity.

Unlike humans, rabbits cannot regulate their body temperature by sweating. Instead, their ears serve as crucial organs for dissipating heat.

The rabbits captured in these photos and videos appeared to be either on the verge of heatstroke or already suffering from it.

For these exhausted rabbits, even simple measures—such as draping a cool towel over their ears or placing a cold bottle beside them—seem to provide at least some measure of relief.

When water is sprinkled on the ground, some rabbits will even lie down right in the wet patch; they are desperate to find any way to cool themselves down.

During this season, just imagine how many rabbits could be saved if there were a designated "cooling room"—perhaps a tent equipped with fans—specifically for those suffering from heatstroke. Given that there is available space right next to the bicycle parking area, I believe there are certainly feasible solutions to be found...