Asia-Pacific

Japan Deploys Barking Drones in Attempt To Deter Bear Attacks

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By Scott Huang/Zalán Sata

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Japan's bear attacks are at an all-time high, taking 13 lives since April. As the US, China and the UK have issued travel warnings to citizens traveling to the country, Japan's Gifu Prefecture has adopted a high-tech approach. By deploying a drone that emits barking sounds through a loudspeaker, they hope to deter unwanted bears.

Japanese Barking Drones Deployed to Deter Bear Attacks

 

REPORTER: 

A drone takes off over an orchard in Gifu prefecture in central Japan using firecrackers and a loudspeaker—it barks like a dog, scaring off bears seen lurking in the woods.

 

Masahiko Amaki (DIRECTOR, FRUITS PARK KUROUCHI ORCHARD): 

"Indeed you don't really want to get hurt. I've had a few close calls myself. And then they glare at you, and... yes, it's really scary when they actually look at you."

 

REPORTER: 

This high-tech solution has been deployed in Hida—a city that has seen eight times as many bear sightings this fall, posing an ongoing threat to locals and tourists.

 

Cornelia Li (TOURIST): 

When we were preparing for this trip 

we saw on social media that there were 

a lot of Japanese news reports 

of bear sightings. 

It seems like this year's harvest 

wasn't very good 

so bears were coming down 

to look for food 

so we prepared these two bear bells.

 

REPORTER: 

Across Japan, 220 people have been injured in bear attacks since April—a record spike in numbers. So far, thirteen have been killed, with seven deaths in October alone. The uptick has prompted the US, China and the UK to issue travel advisories.

 

REPORTER: 

And, after a recent bear attack on a Spanish tourist, local governments are moving to respond.

 

Naofumi Yoshikawa (DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GIFU PREFECTURE'S DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AFFAIRS): 

When considering how to implement countermeasures, we examined whether to drive the bears away by hand or use dogs. Ultimately, we decided on a method that could be enacted immediately, and after careful consideration, we chose to use drones for bear deterrence.

 

Iori Shimura (MANAGING DIRECTOR, AERO JAPAN): 

"As for bears, this is the first time we've used drones for bear deterrence. Recently, bear problems have become an issue in Japan, and this time we used the dog barking speakers to drive them away."

 

REPORTER: 

And the barking drone is just the first step. Officials are installing more warning signs and vowing to prevent more of these dangerous encounters.

 

Shiroki Mitsunari (HEAD, SHIRAKAWA VILLAGE INDUSTRIAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT): 

"You know, we are living in the mountains and we are very, very familiar with dealing with bears, so why can't we avoid attacks in the first place (a bear attack on a tourist)? That attack on the tourist was pretty shameful for us. So, yeah, that was saying, that was that part of me saying, we are not going to let that thing happen again. That’s right, never."

 

REPORTER: 

With the bear population continuing to grow, the question remains: Can Japan’s high-tech efforts keep people safe and bears away?