A bear in northern Japan has still not been caught after attacking four people. Authorities say this bear is "extremely clever," and during its escape is suspected of having opened a window on its own and turned on a water faucet to drink.
According to comprehensive foreign media reports, local government officials, police, and hunters have already deployed drones to expand the search, but as of the 5th, the black bear remains at large.
This bear hid inside a building after attacking four people in two factories in Fukushima on the 2nd. Although hunters, police, and firefighters used traps and tranquilizer guns to conduct the manhunt, it still managed to escape the following night.
The mayor of Fukushima City said on the 5th that claw marks were found at the scene, leading to the suspicion that the bear had opened the window by itself to escape. It is also suspected of turning on a water faucet to drink, and he described the bear as "extremely clever."
He said all possible measures have been taken by the relevant departments, but it is regrettable that the bear has still not been captured.
In the twelve months leading up to March of this year, black bears in Japan caused a record-high 13 deaths, and as many as 238 serious injury incidents—also an all-time high. It is believed that factors such as rural depopulation and climate change leading to fluctuations in the food sources of black bears have contributed to the increased frequency of human-bear conflicts.