NIIGATA, Apr 27, 2026 (News On Japan) - A Japanese serow, a species designated by the government as a Special Natural Monument, entered a bank in Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, on the afternoon of April 27.
According to police, authorities received a report shortly after noon that a wild animal had wandered into the bank near Kashiwazaki Station.
After evacuating customers to a safe area, bank staff confirmed that the animal had moved into the ATM section. They then lowered the shutter and confined it inside.
A local resident said they initially thought it might be a squirrel, before realizing it was a serow.
About three hours after the first report, a contractor commissioned by the city used a tranquilizer to subdue the animal, which was then captured.
City officials said the animal was a female Japanese serow measuring about 1 meter in length. Residents had reportedly seen it roaming the area for about a week.
The Japanese serow is protected as a Special Natural Monument, and harming or injuring one can result in penalties under the law. In this case, however, the city granted permission for the capture as an emergency measure.
The captured serow is expected to be released back into the mountains.
Source: 日テレNEWS
