Bears are waking up from winter slumber – ready to chase humans.
Here on TGP, we have been tracking the effect that rising ursine populations are having around the world.
Notably, last year, Japan had a record number of 13 deaths caused by bear attacks.
CBS News reported:
“Japan confirmed Friday the first fatal bear attack of 2026 after a record 13 deaths last year, with reports pointing to a jump in sightings as the animals emerge hungry from hibernation.
[…] This year’s first confirmed fatality, reportedly a 55-year-old woman, was discovered on April 21 in Iwate prefecture in northern Japan, according to the environment ministry.”
Watch: bear attacking drivers in Hokkaido.
Crazy dashcam footage of a bear attacking motorists in Hokkaido, Japan: bear attacks have been on the rise in recent years and hit a record high in 2023. pic.twitter.com/6OtxhHK8dv
— Jeffrey J. Hall 🇯🇵🇺🇸 (@mrjeffu) April 29, 2024
Two more human remains were found this week and are also suspected bear attack victims.
“One of the bodies was discovered elsewhere in the Iwate region on Thursday, while another was found in a forest in Yamagata prefecture on Tuesday, police said, without providing the cause of the deaths. […] City officials said local hunters were expected to begin patrolling the area on Friday, according to the broadcaster.”
Besides the 13 dead from the attacks, no fewer than 200 people were also injured.
“The animals were seen on airport runways, walking on golf courses, roaming near schools and causing panic in supermarkets and hot spring resorts almost on a daily basis. A bear that rampaged through a supermarket for two days was lured out with food coated in honey, and police said the animal was trapped and later killed.”
Read more:
Ad block users: Some site features may not work correctly while an ad blocker is enabled, because they break scripts and content this website depends on. If you can’t see comments below, for example, please disable your ad blocker.
