Japan's Gunma Pref. warns of bear encounters after poor acorn crop
MAEBASHI -- Gunma Prefecture's wildlife damage control support center announced this year's acorn crop, a food source for bears, was poor, prompting t
Gunma Prefecture in Japan has warned residents of potential bear encounters following a poor acorn crop that serves as a primary food source for the animals. The wildlife damage control support center announced the warning in September, urging caution over bear encounters for the remainder of the year.
The center conducts visual inspections of acorn yields from early to mid-September, surveying around 630 trees in the Tone-Numata region. The acorn crop is graded on a scale of seven levels, ranging from very abundant to none. In 2021, Japanese beech and giant dogwood were rated as average, while Mongolian oak, jolcham oak, and chestnut were assessed as poor.
Due to the sudden nature of bear encounters, the prefecture has developed a bear sighting map and made it available online to alert the public. If an encounter occurs, authorities advise against running or shouting, as these actions could provoke the animal. Instead, people should slowly back away without looking away from the bear and, in case of a charge, maintain an obstacle between themselves and the bear.
This year has already seen two incidents of bear-related injuries. In June, a hiker in Kiryu's Umeda area was attacked, sustaining facial and arm injuries. Later in August, a man fishing in Midori's Azuma district suffered head and arm injuries while stream fishing.
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