Japan fights bear surge with barking drones

As bear encounters climb to unprecedented levels across Japan, officials in Gifu Prefecture have turned to an unusual line of defence: drones that bark like dogs and fire small firecrackers to scare the animals away.

In Hida, a rural city in central Japan, the 'Hunting Drone' developed by Aero Japan takes off each morning from the Fruits Park Kurouchi orchard. The bright pink device—equipped with googly eyes, a speaker and firecracker launchers—flies low over apple and peach trees, blasting recorded dog barks to deter bears that have been repeatedly raiding the area.

Officials say bear sightings in Hida have risen nearly eight-fold this autumn compared to last year.

“We needed something we could deploy immediately,” said Naofumi Yoshikawa from Gifu Prefecture’s environment department.

“After reviewing options like sending teams on foot or using dogs, we decided drones were the most practical,” Yoshikawa said.

Orchard cooperative head Masahiko Amaki said the threat feels constant.

“Working out here, that fear is always there,” he said. “I’ve had a few close calls. It’s really scary when a bear actually stares you down.”

Nationwide Spike in Attacks

Across Japan, 220 people have been injured in bear attacks since April, according to public broadcaster NHK. Thirteen have died, seven of them in the past month during the bears’ peak foraging season before hibernation.

While most incidents occur in remote towns, a recent attack on a Spanish tourist in Shirakawa-go — a UNESCO-listed heritage village near Hida — has pushed local governments to strengthen deterrence measures. The village is now filled with warning signs, and visitors can be heard wearing bear bells as they walk through the historic streets.

Cornelia Li, a tourist from Shanghai, tied a bell to her four-year-old daughter’s backpack.

“We saw lots of reports online about bear sightings,” she said. “This year’s harvest wasn’t great, so bears are coming down for food.”

Li’s family chose to stay in the city rather than a rural lodge because of the risk.

Tourist Areas on Alert

Authorities in Shirakawa-go have introduced honey-laced traps, removed fruit trees that might attract bears, and urged tourists to stay in groups and avoid certain areas after dark. Local official Shiroki Mitsunari said the recent attack left the community determined to prevent another incident.

“We’re used to living with bears, but letting a tourist get hurt was shameful for us,” he said.

Schoolchildren now walk home in groups with bells attached to their backpacks.

The U.S., China and Britain have all issued travel advisories warning visitors about increased bear activity. The U.S. Embassy noted that even parks near urban consulates — including one in Sapporo — have temporarily closed after sightings.

Why Bear Encounters Are Rising

Japan’s Asiatic black bear population has tripled since 2012, helped by a decline in hunting. Climate change has also reduced natural food sources such as acorns and beechnuts, pushing bears closer to human settlements. Depopulation in rural areas — and abandoned farmland — has created more quiet spaces for bears to roam.

The situation has become so serious in northern Japan that the military was deployed earlier this month to help local authorities cull bears.

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