Brown Bear Shot in Hokkaido Following Fatal Attack on Newspaper Delivery Man

On July 18, hunters in a residential area of Fukushima, Hokkaido, shot a brown bear that was believed to be involved in the death of a newspaper delivery man six days prior. Following the attack, a resident called emergency services at 1:55 a.m. to report seeing a bear outside their window, prompting a search by police and hunters who eventually discovered the bear concealed in nearby bushes.

Despite a ban on hunting with firearms in residential zones, the authorities permitted the killing of the bear due to safety concerns, enabling hunters to shoot it in accordance with an emergency order. The bear, measuring 2 meters in length and weighing 218 kilograms, was described as an 8- to 9-year-old male with distinct physical characteristics. Investigations are underway to determine if this bear was indeed the one responsible for the earlier fatal attack on the newspaper delivery man, especially as other bears have also been sighted in the area where they have reportedly rummaged through garbage.

In the aftermath of the deadly incident and ongoing bear sightings, Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki urged townspeople to stay vigilant. He outlined that the local government plans to implement measures to capture bears promptly and will review the existing bear warning system designed to protect residents. Set forth in 2022, this alert system employs three levels of warnings based on bear sightings and related injuries to humans, though the criteria for issuing these alerts have faced criticism for being unclear, which complicates their effective application. Governor Suzuki expressed a commitment to improving this system through collaboration with towns and feedback from experts.