In Japan, 94 schools were closed due to a bear search
In the Japanese city of Utsunomiya, the search for a black bear—which has been spotted more than ten times near residential areas—is now in its second day. Due to the threat to the public, authorities have decided to close all 94 municipal elementary and middle schools.
According to local authorities, the adult bear, weighing about 100 kilograms, was last seen early Tuesday morning approximately 700 meters from the university campus.
It is likely the same animal that was first spotted on Saturday evening.
This is the first time a bear has been spotted in the history of Utsunomiya, a city located about 100 kilometers north of Tokyo.
Representatives from municipal and prefectural authorities, rescue workers, and members of a hunting association are participating in the search operation. The animal’s fate will depend on where it is found. Authorities are considering several options: sedating the bear with a tranquilizer, capturing it and releasing it into the wild, or shooting it if it poses a threat to people.
In recent years, Japan has seen a sharp increase in the number of bear attacks, particularly in populated areas. As a result, the government has established a special task force to reduce risks and the number of casualties.
According to the Japanese Ministry of the Environment, a record 238 bear attacks were recorded in fiscal year 2025, resulting in the deaths of 13 people.
Experts attribute the predators’ activity to several factors. Among them is climate change, which is leading to a reduction in natural food supplies, particularly acorns and beech nuts. In addition, depopulation of rural areas and an increase in the number of abandoned farmlands are forcing bears to seek food near human settlements more and more often.
Although the Asian black bear is classified as a vulnerable species, experts estimate that its population in Japan has nearly tripled since 2012, largely due to a reduction in hunting.
This was reported by Reuters.
Earlier, in the Vitosha Mountains near Sofia, a brown bear attacked a man who was near a mountain hut, and he died. The animal was with a cub, which may have provoked the attack. The incident occurred in a region where such attacks are rare.
