The key lies in the “persimmon tree” and the bear’s “hiding” in an empty house. Tracking down the reason for the drastic decrease in damage (November 22, 2023)

On the 22nd, a man was bitten on the head by a bear and injured in Akita Prefecture. What can we do to prevent the never-ending damage caused by bears? The key was in the “persimmon tree” planted in the garden. What is the town’s secret strategy that has brought the community together to drastically reduce damage? ■The never-ending preparation for winter is “Nio-tachi” There is a big bear on the persimmon tree. He is munching on the fruit with a proud look on his face. The scene is the garden of a house in Odate City, Akita Prefecture. Residents said they were worried about when the monsters would come into their homes. A brown bear appeared on the road in Okopbe Town, Hokkaido. When I looked at the video again, I noticed that at first the bear was standing upright with his back straight. Something is staring into the distance. Then, as if noticing the car, it stared at me. It ran away into the grass. Winter is almost here, but it seems that bears are not yet ready for winter. Gunma Prefecture is on alert for the mild winter this year, warning that bears may appear even after next month, when they usually go into hibernation. Gunma Prefecture: “If they feel it’s not the time to hibernate because it’s warm, I think they’ll be active as normal (even in winter). I think some individuals will continue to look for food.” ■Tense situation: Akita suffers from ‘record-high’ damage There are also injuries. Around 6 a.m. on the 22nd, a man in his 80s was bitten on the head by a bear on the street in Akita City. He was taken to the hospital, where he is said to be conscious. After attacking the man, the bear fled the scene. Akita City official: “There are persimmon trees in the area, so we’re warning them to drop their fruit as soon as possible.” Bears are appearing at an unusual rate in Akita. The number of victims has reached 70. ■Why? “Hidden” in an empty house in Toyama. New facts revealed by unraveling the damage. The reporting team headed to Toyama Prefecture, where seven cases of personal injury have occurred this year. This is the scene where two men were attacked by a bear a week ago. Mother of the man who was attacked: “This was my first time being attacked (by a bear), so it happened so quickly. It’s scary to think that (the bush) could have been a bear’s home.” Beyond. It turned out that the bear was living on the premises of a vacant house. An urban bear and an empty house that appear in a human village. There was an inseparable relationship. A bear appeared in Daisen City, Akita Prefecture, for two consecutive days. Residents say they may have targeted a wasp nest that had formed in a vacant house. In Nishiwaga Town, Iwate Prefecture, a bear was found living in a warehouse far from a residence. Resident: “A week ago, I heard a cat screaming in the middle of the night.It was a huge noise.I think (a bear) had been living there ever since then.” An empty house and a bear. In the incident in which two men were attacked in Toyama City, many traces were left around the vacant house. The experts who investigated the scene… Hisaaki Akaza, Toyama Prefectural Natural Museum Neinosato, who has been researching bears for 19 years: “I saw old feces and new feces in an empty mansion. (The bear stayed for about 2 days.) A little more. “It may have been before,” he said, noting that the bear had made it his base for at least two days. ■Homestead forest Good for a “hideout” during the day Mr. Akaza is particularly interested in the vacant house and the mansion forest that surrounds it. Trees planted for windbreaks, etc. Hisaaki Akaza, Toyama Prefectural Natural Museum Neinosato, who has been researching bears for 19 years: “They serve as a hideout during the day. “The environment is very similar to the place I use as a hideout.” An image of an empty house taken 11 years ago. And now. If you compare the two, you can see that the Yashiki Forest is more dense. Vacant houses and a forest of mansions that have been poorly managed. When you combine the two, you create an environment that is more suitable for bears. ■Abandoned persimmon trees in gardens are a target Not only in mansion forests, but also persimmons that are left unattended along with vacant houses are a major cause of bear infestations. This is the time before hibernation. This year, the acorn harvest in the mountains is poor, and bears have been seen gathering around persimmon trees in rural areas every day. A bear was exterminated in Tateyama Town, Toyama Prefecture on the 21st. It is said that it was staying in a barn that residents only check on once a week. The owner of the barn where the bear was found: “I have a persimmon tree at my house.The fruit is in a place that even a ladder can’t reach.That’s probably what they were aiming for.”Akaza said that in many cases, persimmons are left unattended due to vacant houses or aging residents. sounds the alarm. Hisaaki Akaza, Toyama Prefectural Natural Museum Neinosato, who has been researching bears for 19 years: “During the Showa era, society as a whole was still poor, and when I was a child, we would often grow persimmons from the garden ourselves and eat them as snacks. However, many houses still have five or more persimmon trees left standing.” Mr. Akaza, who was troubled by the large number of bears, decided to take some action. Despite being in the mountains, there have been zero bear sightings this fall. There was a secret strategy that brought about dramatic changes. ■Secret strategy to drastically reduce damage with “zero infestation” this fall In Toyama City, there are areas where persimmons are managed in their entirety by pruning. It was created by Mr. Akaza, who has been researching bears in the prefecture for 19 years. Hisaaki Akaza of Toyama Prefectural Natural Museum Neinosato, who has been researching bears for 19 years: “Using a small subsidy from the city hall, I cut three (persimmon trees) this year as well. Over 120 trees in total over four years. The effect is… A person living in the Iya district: “I’m sad that the persimmons are gone, but it’s better than being attacked by a bear.I guess it’s a good thing that (the bears) won’t come.” After confirming sightings such as traces of bears, they prepare for hibernation. No bears have been seen in the Iriya area since October. Some regions have taken action this year. Tateyama Town is next to Toyama City. Community revitalization cooperation volunteers cut down persimmon trees free of charge for households where only elderly people over 70 live. A resident of Tateyama Town: “There’s a lot of bear damage, and I didn’t notice it at the time, but there was bear feces (near my house).” Akaza, who was calling for persimmon trees to be cut down. We urge that in the future, we should manage forested areas that can serve as a place for bears to stay. Hisaaki Akaza, Toyama Prefectural Natural Museum Nei no Sato, who has been researching bears for 19 years: “They often hide in untended, dense forested mansions in the plains.Dark mansions where bears roost. We need measures to improve forests.”
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