Bears In Japan This Year
Recent government data shows Japan is on track to setting a record number of bear attacks this year. Between April and September a total of 109 people were hurt, two fatally, primarily in northern Honshu, according to the Environmental Ministry's data.
Bear attacks this year have happened in fifteen prefectures. As of the end of September, Akita prefecture had the most victims, with 28, followed by Iwate with 27, and Fukushima with 13. In August one person died in Iwate, with another death occurring in Hokkaido. The numbers are continuing to increase in October, with Akita and Iwate prefectures each having at least 30 victims. In Toyama, a woman was found dead in a suspected bear attack on October 18th.
Government officials claim a possible reason for the high number of bear attacks this year is the scarcity of beech nuts and acorns, causing bears to roam further, including to areas where humans live to get food in preparation for hibernation. The Environmental Ministry is asking people to be on alert and take extra precautions, such as carrying bear bells and bear spray.
I have not heard of any bear sightings where I live. Maybe more of them are in the northern areas of Japan or near the mountains. I do think it is a good idea to be careful everywhere in Japan this year.
4 comments:
I love cuddling my 65-year-old stuffed teddy bear, he has such a cute face, (although his body is falling to pieces).
I'd hate being 'cuddled' by a real bear, it's got such a mean face and sharp claws.
Bears in the wild are suffering from climate change and environmental issues. Is the best thing to feed them up in the mountains?
That bear looks like it is smiling! I wouldn't want to run into him in a dark alley!
There seem be no bear sighting in Shizuoka City so far. However, it has already been sighted within Shizuoka Prefecture.
There are also increasing numbers of wild boar sightings. It seems that wild boars eat acorns, which are a favorite of bears. Boars seem to be a natural enemy of bears.
Whenever I hear of animal attacks increasing somewhere, I have to ask myself whether the animals are getting bolder, or the people more stupid to approach them to take selfies and things like that...
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