Robot 'Monster Wolf' Deployed to Quell Recent Wave of Bear Attacks in Japan

A robot "monster wolf" has been deployed in Japan to quell a recent wave of bear attacks in the country, according to reports earlier this week.

The move aims to scare away the violent predators that attack not only other animals but also humans, as observed in the East Asian nation in recent years.

Just like a scarecrow, a human-like mannequin, the robot wolves' purpose is also to frighten wandering animals in the field.

In recent years, Japan has witnessed a spate of bear attacks in different parts of the country, with dozens of cases reported by local authorities, including in Hokkaido and Sapporo in northern Japan.

Prior to the deployment of the solar-powered robot wolf, calls for better management have been made to address the threat posed by the large, sharp-clawed mammals to the public.

Japan Bear Attacks

(Photo : Photo by Zdeněk Macháček on Unsplash)

In early September 2023, Japan's Ministry of Environment called on the public to be alert amid a record-high number of bear attacks that transpired nationwide between the months of April and July this year, according to local sources.

Among the attacks, 53 cases of injuries were reported across Japan, including 15 in Iwate Prefecture, nine in Akita Prefecture, and seven in Fukushima Prefecture.

In May 2023, a bear attack resulted in the death of a man in the town of Horokanai in Hokkaido.

These attacks have increased since recordings of the animal attacks started in Japan back in 2007, the report added.

In the same month, local officials and bear experts raised concerns that the island's growing brown bear population, estimated to be almost at 12,000, is increasing the risk of further deadly encounters.

According to ministry officials, more bears are likely to go into residential areas in Japan's Tohoku region during this year's autumn season to search for food, explaining acorns that is part of the bears' diet are limited in their natural habitat in the said region.

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Monster Wolf Deployed in Japan

In a recent video posted on YouTube, a clip shows that one of the robot wolves to scare off Japan's bears is seen roaming the fields of Takikawa city as a deterrent.

Initially designed to keep wild animals away from farmlands, the monster wolf is now being used not only by local governments but also by managers of golf courses, pig farms, and highways.

It is also in Takikawa where the first robot wolf was first deployed back in 2016, with successive reports of success, with no bears spotted since its installation. However, it is still unclear if whether the monster wolf will be a temporary or permanent solution against bear attacks in the future.

Robot wolves in Japan are powered by solar energy or heat coming from the Sun. It is also equipped with a sensor that detects a nearby animal in the area. The monster wolf can also move through a mechanical platform beneath it.