Food

Bears ravage high-end 'Nagano Purple' grapes

NAGANO, Sep 14 (News On Japan) - A black shadow appears in the grape vineyards of Sakajo Town in Nagano Prefecture. Its identity? A bear.

As if carefully selecting, the bear gazes up at the grapes, stands up, plucks a bunch, and starts devouring them with single-minded determination.

The target of these raids is the high-end variety "Nagano Purple," just about to be harvested. According to reports, the bears have been feasting on these delicacies at around 100 clusters daily, causing damage to approximately 30 percent of the grapes in this vineyard.

According to Nagano Prefecture's Wildlife Control Office, the number of bear sightings this year is nearly double compared to the same period last year.

by Brian Dentry

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