A rampaging bear was apprehended two days after attacking a worker in a store in northern Japan. This is the latest incident involving bears and humans in the country.
The bear entered the business in Akita City on Saturday and assaulted a 47-year-old employee, who suffered a slight head injury, according to police.
It took two more days for authorities to apprehend the animal, during which time it raided the meat section and damaged some shelves, according to police and the store manager. Bear assaults are a rising concern in northern Japan, where mountain ranges and thick vegetation provide suitable habitat.
However, according to some researchers, climate change is interfering with flowering and pollination timetables, interrupting bears’ usual food sources, and causing them to seek sustenance in urban areas.
The bear, estimated to be one meter (three feet) long, remained in the store after attacking the worker. Officials dispatched a drone inside on Sunday to locate it, according to national broadcaster NHK.
According to local television footage, police officers dressed in protective gear and brandishing shields entered the shop through a plastic-covered entryway.
The bear was subsequently discovered in the storage room, so personnel set up a box trap containing honey and apples to attract the intruder. The bear was apprehended on Monday.
An Akita City Hall representative told CNN that the bear was eventually killed.
According to the spokeswoman, the number of bear assaults in the prefecture was greater than typical this year, following a record set last year.
According to NHK, Japan also had the highest number of injuries or property damage caused by bear attacks in the fiscal year ending in March.
