Communities in Japan are on their guard as bear attacks have been more frequent than usual, with some incidents leading to the deaths of civilians, prompting local and national governments to strengthen their safety measures, especially in rural areas where bear populations have reportedly increased.
The key is to know their population
Local government has confirmed it will put more cameras in areas where bears are known to roam to increase their monitoring protocols and ultimately find out the current population of bears as they end their lengthy hibernation season.
Bears typically hibernate between three and seven months and usually leave their caves hungry and searching for food, and often ending up entering residential areas and threatening locals.
The Japanese Ministry of Environment said that the northern region of Tohoku will receive 800 more cameras to conduct further surveys to better understand the movement and number of bears living in the region.
It said that jars of honey infused with wine will be placed at about human-head height in certain areas to entice bears and study their chest imprints while they consume the bait. The individual marks on their chest would give wildlife experts more details on their population group, the ministry said.
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Can’t bear their presence
According to the Japanese government, the country has witnessed at least five people being killed in bear attacks since April 1, with most cases recorded from Tohoku alone, leading to locals fearing to stay outdoors.
Residents in the region said that bears have reached populous areas, including parks, shopping centers and schools.
Experts blame the reduced number of people in rural areas, hence the gradual takeover of bears in some territories where they are not usually known to roam.
In a separate incident, nearly 100 schools in Utsunomiya City in Tochigi prefecture were closed after multiple cases of bear sightings.
Police and residents took days to successfully capture the bear and release it back into the wild.
Fake bear sprays become a trend and a threat
Demand for bear sprays has consequently increased, with Japanese authorities urging the public to remain vigilant against fake and unregistered bear sprays.
A recent incident occurred in a post office in Nagoya City involving a bear spray accidentally being detonated by a man, leading to at least five individuals sustaining non-lethal injuries.
He was swiftly apprehended by local authorities and said that the event was an accident.
Authorities said bear sprays, which usually contain concentrated chili extract, are only effective when used properly and efficiently.
Meanwhile, stocks of bear sprays have depleted, with shortages looming in most stores, according to local reports.
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Hazel Camba 
Geoffrey H. Latayan 
Ciara Mina