IWATE - Bear sightings and attacks have been reported across Japan throughout the summer, with animals damaging sheds, attacking livestock and injuring people, while experts warn that autumn is the most dangerous season as bears expand their range in search of food.
In Kiryu, Gunma Prefecture, bears were spotted repeatedly in late August, including near a busy national highway on the night of August 30. A witness reported seeing a bear cross the road from the north and enter the grounds of a construction company.
Police searched the area for about 40 minutes but initially failed to locate the animal. As officers were preparing to leave, a bear was seen crossing the road again in the opposite direction.
An adult female bear had also been captured in the same neighborhood three days earlier. A nearby ice cream shop shortened its evening business hours because of concerns over bears approaching an area where food is handled.
The threat became more serious on August 19 when a bear appeared at a residence in the same area and attacked a goat kept there.
The bear, estimated to be about 1 meter long, broke into the animal's enclosure and bit the goat. The owner said the goat was making an unusual cry when he rushed outside and found the bear and goat facing one another.
The bear fled after the owner shouted. The injured goat was treated at an animal hospital and temporarily moved to a nearby farm while its enclosure was repaired and reinforced.
Two weeks after the attack, wounds remained visible on the goat's body. The owner said the animal required stitches at nine or 10 locations, but injuries to its internal organs appeared to have been prevented by bones around the shoulder area.
Other attacks on domesticated animals have also been reported. In Iwamizawa, Hokkaido, 23 ducks being raised for food were found dead or missing on August 24, with multiple bear footprints discovered at the site. Chickens at the same farm had also been attacked by a bear on August 17.
Experts say bears are particularly active during late summer because food is scarce in mountain areas.
An associate professor at Iwate University said August is a period when bears have relatively little food available in the mountains, forcing them to travel widely in search of something to eat. Bears may initially be attracted to dog food, livestock feed and other food left outside before eventually attacking animals themselves.
Human injuries have also occurred across the Tohoku region.
A foreign male tourist was attacked by a bear in Aomori Prefecture on August 22 while visiting an observation area. He was bitten on the right arm but was not in life-threatening condition.
In Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, a man in his 60s working at a gardening supply store was suddenly attacked by a bear on August 13, suffering multiple injuries to his head and arms.
The man said something suddenly emerged and charged toward him at high speed, knocking him to the ground almost immediately.
A Sendai city assembly member who interviewed the victim said the bear appeared to be relatively small rather than a fully grown adult, but warned that even a small bear attacking at full force can seriously injure an adult.
Another bear was found inside a trap in Sendai on August 28 and was killed at the scene.
Young bears have also been seen in several areas. Video recorded on August 30 in Odate, Akita Prefecture, showed what appeared to be a young bear climbing a steep slope beside a road.
The person who filmed the animal said he was surprised by its ability to climb and was concerned that the mother bear might also be nearby.
In Fukushima, what appeared to be a young bear was repeatedly captured on security cameras wandering through residential areas near schools and hospitals. Sightings occurred at several locations within a short period, leading authorities to believe the same bear was involved.
The sightings affected daily life, with some parents driving their children to school the following day because of safety concerns.
The Iwate University expert said young bears that have recently separated from their mothers may have difficulty finding sufficient food in the mountains, increasing the likelihood that they will enter populated areas and encounter people.
The risk is expected to rise further as Japan enters autumn.
Last year, 161 people nationwide suffered injuries or other harm caused by bears between September and November, accounting for roughly two-thirds of all bear-related human casualties for the year.
The expert said he does not expect bear appearances this autumn to reach the same level as last year, but warned that animals will become increasingly active as foods such as walnuts, chestnuts and acorns become available.
The September holiday period could also increase the risk of encounters because more people will visit mountain areas and other outdoor destinations for recreation.
A bear was filmed running across a mountain road near Irohazaka in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, on August 11, an area expected to attract large numbers of tourists during the autumn sightseeing season.
A motorcyclist who witnessed the animal said it crossed the road at extremely high speed and was much faster than he had expected.
Experts are urging visitors to mountains, campsites and sightseeing areas not to leave garbage or strongly scented food unattended and not to leave food inside vehicles where bears may be attracted by the smell.
They warn that bears drawn to food can increase the risk of unexpected encounters and attacks on nearby people.
Concerns have also emerged over fake videos involving bears.
A video circulated on social media appeared to show a large bear eating piles of discarded bread, but authorities believe the footage was generated artificially.
The video appears to have been inspired by actual incidents in Tottori Prefecture, where large amounts of bread were illegally dumped at multiple locations.
At one roadside location, about 30 loaves were found, while around 10 loaves were discovered at a beach in Tottori City. Authorities said at least 39 kilograms of discarded bread had been collected.
Bear sightings have been reported in the surrounding area since around June, raising fears that the dumped food could attract wild animals and increase the risk of traffic accidents or attacks on people.
Tottori Prefecture said there is currently no evidence that bears ate the discarded bread and requested the removal of the fake video, warning that misinformation could create a false impression of the prefecture and potentially cause economic damage.
Another issue involves bears accidentally caught in traps intended for deer or wild boars.
Experts say such accidental captures have been increasing. Because the traps are authorized for deer or wild boars rather than bears, bears caught in them generally must be returned to the mountains instead of being killed.
There are concerns, however, that bears attracted by rice bran or other bait used in such traps may remember the smell and later return toward residential areas.
Experts expect bears seen around populated areas during the summer may return again in autumn even if the overall number of appearances does not reach last year's level.
Bears generally eat heavily before hibernation to build up energy reserves, expanding their range as they search for food and increasing the possibility of entering areas where people live.
With bears now appearing not only in mountain communities but also near schools, hospitals and urban centers, experts are calling for heightened precautions throughout the coming autumn season.
Source: KTV NEWS
