Shadow Boxing.

Unlike last year, it's a very sunny day here in Sendai, so if we had a groundhog like Wiarton Willie to check out his shadow, we'd be in for a long winter ahead. Unfortunately, we don't have such a creature, so we'll have to cope without prognostications of a wily rodent.

Speaking of rodents, the カピバラ (click around on that link and relish in its incredible cuteness) or capybara (click on that link for the real thing...not quite as cute) is all the rage over here. One cannot pass a Game Centre without seeing these furballs in the UFO Catch machines. Any that I have caught in the past have been given away, so I'll try and snap a picture of them today and post the photo later.

We're always showcasing bad news over here on MTYW wrt endangered species, so it is with great surprise and joy to present a story about a new mammal species! There are already 15 species of sengis or elephant shrews but now there is a truly elephantine version weighing in at 700 grams, he's 25% larger than his cousins. More power to you shrew!