A Japanese town has resorted to robotic wolves in an attempt to scare away the bears that have become an increasingly dangerous nuisance in the countryside.
Takeikawa, a town on Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido, purchased and installed two Monster Wolf robots, after bears were found in the neighborhoods last September.
City officials said there has been no confrontation with the bears since the use of robotic wolves.
The Japanese Radio and Television Corporation stated that sightings of bears in Japan have reached their highest level in 5 years, and they occur mostly in rural areas of western and northern Japan.
ク マ 撃 退 に オ オ カ ミ の 形 の 装置 北海道 滝 川 市 が 本 格 導入 検 討 https://t.co/QdqdoLdTOE#nhk_video pic.twitter.com/c4gMFdFmKs
- NHK ニ ー ス (@nhk_news) October 19, 2020
There have been dozens of attacks so far in 2020, and two of them have killed, prompting the government to hold an emergency meeting last month to counter this threat.
Robot wolves have 4 legs, a disheveled body and glowing red eyes.
The height of the robotic wolf is about one meter, and when a wild animal such as a bear approaches, it senses it in infrared radiation, sends a loud sound, moves its head and its eyes flash red.
In addition to the wolf's voice, there are about 60 types of sounds, such as: people’s voices and bullets, so that bears do not get used to the device.
Ohta Seiki, the maker of the robotic wolf, has sold about 70 units since 2018.
“We want to let bears know that human settlements are not where they live, and I hope this helps create an environment in which people and bears can coexist,” said Yuji Ota, president of Ohta Seiki.
Takeakawa city officials said the bears were becoming more active and dangerous as they searched for food before going into hibernation in late November.
Deforestation and growing cities have reduced the barrier between bear and human habitats, leading to more direct contact and attacks.