Brown Bear Sightings Increase in Northern Japan
A female brown bear was destroyed in Sapporo, the capital city of Hokkaido, on October 13.
The bear, approximately 1.5 meters in length, was caught in a box trap at around 6:00 PM on October 12 and culled by a hunter at 6:30 AM the next morning.
This is the third bear to be destroyed in the district this month, with repeated sightings of mother bears with cubs occurring since the beginning of the month.
City officials believe the culled bear was likely the mother bear responsible for the repeated sightings, prompting the closure of nearby green spaces, including the area near the Araiyama ski jump, following a bear sighting on October 12.
No comment from officials on the reason of the increase in bear sightings.
Author's summary: Brown bear sightings are on the rise in Northern Japan, prompting culling and area closures.