Japan Hunts 'Extremely Intelligent' Bear That Injured Four

Japanese authorities are on the hunt for a black bear described as "extremely intelligent" after it injured four people in Fukushima prefecture. The bear managed to evade capture on Wednesday evening, having previously injured individuals at two factories the day before. Its escape route reportedly involved skillfully unlocking a window and opening a tap to drink, baffling pursuers equipped with traps and tranquilizer guns.

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The evidence on site suggests that the animal unlocked the window by itself.

The bear, a Japanese black bear (Ursus thibetanus japonicus), remains at large as of Friday. A city official confirmed that evidence at the scene suggested the animal "unlocked the window by itself." The mayor of Fukushima, Yuki Baba, further described the bear's actions, stating it had "opened the tap" to drink, characterizing it as "extremely intelligent." Mayor Baba assured that all possible measures were being taken for its capture with the cooperation of hunters, police, and firefighters.

This incident occurs amidst a broader trend of increasing bear activity in Japan. Last year, a record 13 people were killed by bears, and sightings are up significantly this year as the animals emerge from hibernation, apparently hungry. Official figures show that during the last fiscal year ending in March, bear sightings nationwide exceeded 50,000, more than double the previous record set two years prior.

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opened the tap

Experts suggest that the proliferation of bears and their increased boldness in approaching human settlements, entering homes, loitering near schools, and raiding supermarkets, is partly due to an abundance of food sources like acorns, deer, and wild boar. Climate change is believed to be a contributing factor to this food abundance, leading to larger bear populations and more frequent encounters with humans.

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extremely intelligent