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Iwate town on alert following series of bear attacks

9 Comments

Four people were injured in a series of attacks by at least two bears on Saturday and Sunday in Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture.

According to police, the first attack took place on Saturday evening in a garden, where an 81-year-old man was attacked from behind by two bears, NTV reported. Police believe the animals to have been a female bear and her cub. The man sustained serious injuries in the attack, following which members of a local hunting club shot the cub.

There then occurred a series of bear attacks between 6:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, 1.5 kms from the site of the first attack, in which three people sustained injuries and were hospitalized. The head of the local hunting club told the press, "The bear is worked up, so there remains a strong possibility that she will attack again."

Police and members of the hunting club began a patrol Monday morning to search for the bear. Police are warning local residents to be on guard.

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9 Comments
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@Dylan Smith

It wasn't a cause/effect issue. They never went looking for either bear until AFTER the first attack. I'd love it if they could effectively relocate the bear, but they just aren't equipped to do that here.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

putting down animals is inhumane. if they didn't shoot at the cub this would have never happened. people need to learn that we are bit the only living thing on this planet.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I come from a countryside town and often we have wild animals come through our town (once a town close to mine had a polar bear, so you can see we have some serious wild animals,). Something everyone in the previous posts have to understand, When a wild animal comes in to a town, but does not touch a person and stays relative calm without incident, then you can tranquilize and relocate. When a wild animal comes in to a town, but attacks a person or has become a danger to itself or the people around them, you HAVE TO put the animal down because the wild animal has now learned that humans are either a source of food or a challenge. It will keep returning to the town, or any other town, no matter how far you bring it away from people. The danger now is that is may attack again.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

They killed the Cub....why do that its not the cub who attacked anyone and all that has done is anger the mother bear.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

****forest officials should visit the place and capture the animal. by relocating it the animal as well as local residents would be safe.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

According to police, the first attack took place on Saturday evening in a garden, where an 81-year-old man was attacked from behind by two bears, NTV reported. Police believe the animals to have been a female bear and her cub. The man sustained serious injuries in the attack, following which members of a local hunting club shot the cub.

Nice. Guess that is why she went on the rampage later?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

What are the bears doing in residential areas?

In this case, the residential areas are located among the bears' residential area, ie: the country side.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

What are the bears doing in residential areas? Where are they coming from?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The bear is worked up, so there remains a strong possibility that she will attack again.

Assuming it is the momma bear, she has quite justifiable cause to be "worked up." When will Japan learn to adopt humane policies of tranquilization and relocation?

Regarding the man attacked from behind, if the mother bear had been intent on inflicting injury, he would be dead; at 81, he probably suffered the majority of injuries simply from falling forward.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

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