https://sputnikglobe.com/20231030/japan-faces-menacing-spike-in-hungry-bear-encounters-1114590487.html
Japan Faces Menacing Spike in Hungry Bear Encounters
Japan Faces Menacing Spike in Hungry Bear Encounters
Sputnik International
The rise in bear incidents throughout the country has stirred reactions from residents and authorities. However, wildlife experts believe that human encounters with bears stem from fluctuating food availability. Amid growing concerns, officials advise caution and responsible waste disposal.
2023-10-30T10:00+0000
2023-10-30T10:00+0000
2023-10-30T10:00+0000
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Japan's wildlife experts have reported an alarming growth in bear-related incidents, citing the beasts' challenges in finding food in their natural habitats.Since April, bears have been linked to 158 injuries and a pair of fatalities, matching the 2020 record, media sources indicate. The majority of these incidents took place in northern Honshu, the largest island in Japan, as stated by the Environment Ministry.The surge in bear encounters, according to wildlife specialists, can be traced back to last year's plentiful acorn and beechnut yields, which created heftier bear cubs. Conversely, a dearth of these staples this year has compelled more bears to encroach on human settlements, eager to find food before they begin their hibernation in early December.According to local news reports, there has been a rise in bear encounters in Japan because bears have started to move into depopulated villages, resulting in more attacks in built-up areas. Out of 47 prefectures, 15 experienced attacks within six months up to September. The greatest number of incidents took place in Akita - Honshu’s northernmost region - then Iwate and Fukushima. It was reported that in Iwate, more than half of these encounters occurred near or in homes, even when residents took precautions such as using bells to deter the animals.Earlier in the month, it was reported that six individuals, including an elderly woman and a schoolgirl at a bus stop, were attacked by a bear in an urban area of Akita in just one day, with three incidents occurring near commercial and residential zones.In the same prefecture, which witnessed 52 reported bear incidents this year - a significant increase from the previous year - a 66-year-old man found a bear in his garage. Recounting his experience to a local news source, he said he made eye contact with the bear and tried to flee but was knocked down and bitten on the head by the aggressive animal.The environment ministry labeled the surge in attacks as remarkable. Minister Shintaro Ito stressed the importance of disposing of food waste correctly to prevent attracting animals and the need to keep doors shut.Additionally, Iwate Governor Takuya Tasso highlighted that relying on past experiences of harmless bear encounters is inadequate, and people must exercise greater caution.Japan has seen a significant increase in its bear population. Recently, a news outlet reported an estimated 44,000 black bears, a vast rise compared with the 15,000 estimated by the environment ministry's biodiversity center in 2012. This count excludes Hokkaido, believed to host approximately 11,700 Ussuri brown bears, a number that has more than doubled since1990.Recent events have reignited memories of the infamous Sankebetsu incident in December 1915, where an attack by a massive brown bear resulted in seven deaths and three injuries in Hokkaido. This tragic episode, which inspired novels, stage productions, and a film, only ended when a hunter killed the bear.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230417/bear-facts-about-how-hibernating-grizzlies-can-prevent-deadly-blood-clots-1109584050.html
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Japan Faces Menacing Spike in Hungry Bear Encounters
The rise in bear incidents throughout the country has stirred reactions from residents and authorities. However, wildlife experts believe that human encounters with bears stem from fluctuating food availability. Amid growing concerns, officials advise caution and responsible waste disposal.
Japan's wildlife experts have reported an alarming growth in bear-related incidents, citing the beasts' challenges in finding food in their natural habitats.
Since April, bears have been linked to 158 injuries and a pair of fatalities, matching the 2020 record, media sources indicate. The majority of these incidents took place in northern Honshu, the largest island in Japan, as stated by the Environment Ministry.
The surge in bear encounters, according to wildlife specialists, can be traced back to last year's plentiful acorn and beechnut yields, which created heftier bear cubs. Conversely, a dearth of these staples this year has compelled more bears to encroach on human settlements, eager to find food before they begin their hibernation in early December.
According to local news reports, there has been a rise in bear encounters in Japan because bears have started to move into depopulated villages, resulting in more attacks in built-up areas.
Out of 47 prefectures, 15 experienced attacks within six months up to September. The greatest number of incidents took place in Akita - Honshu’s northernmost region - then Iwate and Fukushima. It was reported that in Iwate, more than half of these encounters occurred near or in homes, even when residents took precautions such as using bells to deter the animals.
Earlier in the month, it was reported that six individuals, including an elderly woman and a schoolgirl at a bus stop, were attacked by a bear in an urban area of Akita in just one day, with three incidents occurring near commercial and residential zones.
In the same prefecture, which witnessed 52 reported bear incidents this year - a significant increase from the previous year - a 66-year-old man found a bear in his garage. Recounting his experience to a local news source, he said he made eye contact with the bear and tried to flee but was knocked down and bitten on the head by the aggressive animal.
The environment ministry labeled the surge in attacks as remarkable. Minister Shintaro Ito stressed the importance of disposing of food waste correctly to prevent attracting animals and the need to keep doors shut.
Additionally, Iwate Governor Takuya Tasso highlighted that relying on past experiences of harmless bear encounters is inadequate, and people must exercise greater caution.
Japan has seen a significant increase in its bear population. Recently, a news outlet reported an estimated 44,000 black bears, a vast rise compared with the 15,000 estimated by the environment ministry's biodiversity center in 2012. This count excludes Hokkaido, believed to host approximately 11,700 Ussuri brown bears, a number that has more than doubled since1990.
Recent events have reignited memories of the infamous Sankebetsu incident in December 1915, where an attack by a massive brown bear resulted in seven deaths and three injuries in Hokkaido. This tragic episode, which inspired novels, stage productions, and a film, only ended when a hunter killed the bear.
