Bear on the loose: Akita supermarket drama unfolds
Employees at a supermarket in Akita, Japan, were forced to evacuate when an Asian bear entered the store. The animal attacked a 47-year-old deli worker, injuring him on the head and face.
Armed police, equipped with tactical gear and protective shields, attempted for two days to locate the bear that was hiding in a large supermarket in northeastern Japan, feeding on products from the meat section.
Bear manhunt in Japan
Officers set up two large cages around the Itoku Tsuchizakiminato store and unsuccessfully tried to locate the animal using drones.
Local residents were shocked by the situation. "I've been running my place for over 45 years and never imagined a bear would enter the town. It was a huge shock for me," said a sushi restaurant owner in an interview with local journalists.
The police eventually captured the bear by luring it into a trap filled with honey, rice, bananas, apples, and bread. The animal was tranquilised and then killed, as reported by "Express".
Earlier, the bear was seen on surveillance footage in the area, but it was not confirmed if it was the same animal.
Problem with bear attacks in Japan
Recently, Japan has seen an increase in bear attacks, with animals venturing into urban areas in search of food more frequently. In the past year, over 200 incidents have resulted in injuries to people, and six people have lost their lives. Authorities, trying to counteract the threat, have culled 9,000 bears by April.
"Since 2000, there have been numerous cases of bears appearing near human settlements. Acorns and other nuts are important components of the bears' diet in autumn, but the availability of these foods undergoes cyclical fluctuations. When yields are poor in a given year, the animals venture more frequently into villages and towns in search of food," explains Satō Yoshikazu, a bear specialist from Rakunō Gakuen University, in an interview with "Nippon".
Authorities warn residents of Akita Prefecture and other regions of Japan against going outside after dark, as bears prepare for hibernation and are particularly active in their search for food. The increase in the Asian bear population from approximately 15,000 in 2012 to about 44,000 currently is linked to the depopulation of rural areas, which creates favourable conditions for these animals.
Source: "Express"
