Thursday, October 12, 2023
In a forest in Makioka, Iinotsu, Uryu Town, owned by Hokuryu Town resident Moriaki Tanaka (86 years old), traces of bark peeling were discovered on a Sakhalin fir tree. Tanaka speculates that they may have been caused by a bear.
Bear sightings in Hokuryu Town, Hokkaido
Recently, reports of bear sightings have been broadcast over the radio in various areas of Hokuryu Town.
The Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper on Monday, October 9th, featured a prominent article titled "Serious Food Shortage for Brown Bears in Shiretoko," and people were shocked to find similar traces of bear-stripping tree bark in nearby mountains!
"In recent years, forest conditions have changed, and the sharp decline in wild grapes in the forests in particular is likely one of the reasons for the lack of food," speculates Tanaka.
Bears, which traditionally feed on nuts and grass in the mountains, are now appearing in private homes and fields due to a lack of food. It is now necessary to be extremely careful.
Forest in Makioka, Iinotsu, Uryu Town (owned by Mr. Moriaki Tanaka)
As we drove to the site, Tanaka honked the car horn several times as we entered the forest, talking loudly to let us know we were there.
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◇ Interview and text: Ikuko Terauchi (Photography and editing assistance: Noboru Terauchi)
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