SAPPORO - A 43-year-old man was attacked by a bear while walking his dog in a park in Sapporo’s Nishi Ward on Friday night, prompting authorities to close the area and heighten patrols. His injuries are not life-threatening.
According to police, the attack occurred around 8 p.m. in Heiwa Hill Park, where the man encountered what is believed to be a mother bear and her cub, estimated at about two meters and one meter in length respectively. The bear struck him on the right arm before fleeing the scene.
The city has since closed the park for the foreseeable future, and police are maintaining increased security in the surrounding area to prevent further incidents.
Bear-related incidents have been reported in many parts of Japan in recent years. In Shiretoko, Hokkaido, the problem of brown bears becoming habituated to humans has become particularly severe, raising new concerns about how to balance conservation with public safety in regions long known for promoting “coexistence between people and bears.”
Source: TBS
