Bodily injuries caused by bears
In the past six years, there have been reported
six incidents of bodily
injury caused by black bears in Okutama Mountains.
(No incident had been
recorded over decades before these six years.)
The victims were seriously
injured in five of these incidents. Recently,
there have been reported
incidents of damage on livestock by bears.
The local officials in charge
of birds and animals of these areas are puzzled
because the density of
bear habitation is not considered so high
in Okutama Mountains as to cause
frequent incidents. What adequate measures
should be taken in the face
of such incidents?
The following information partly includes
incidents
in Yamanashi Prefecture.
-
7/17/93 before 7 pm
Location: Back yard of a private house in
Mizunesawa,
Okutamta-machi, Tokyo
Victim: A woman
Situation: Several black bears showed up
on and off
for honey beehives under the eaves starting
on 5th. On 17th, the bears
noticed the presence of the woman in the
house and threatened her by shaking
the windowpane. (Note no direct bodily injury
was caused in this incidence
though the bears did charge her.)
-
7/11/93 around 9 am
Location: Mujinazawa, Tanbayamamura, Yamanashi
Prefecture
Victim: A man
Situation: A wrangler noticed the presence
of a black
bear ahead while climbing a creak. Yet, he
forced his way forward. He was
attacked and beaten from behind.
-
9/19/93 around 9 am
Location: Downstream of Mizunesawa, Okutama-machi,
Tokyo
Victim: A forty-three-year old man
Situation: While the victim was fishing with
his friend,
a black bear dashed down the slope behind
him as if tumbling and made a
bodily contact, tearing 10 cm off the left
sleeve of his shirt.
-
6/27/95 around 6:30 pm
Location: Near a private house in Sakai,
Okutama-machi,
Tokyo
Victim: A sixty-year old man
Situation: While the victim was in the forest
walking
homeward on a mountain path, a black bear
jumped out in the road 50m before
his house. The bear knocked the man in the
head and ran. A serious injury
on his head requiring stitches and one month
for full recovery.
-
8/2/95 around 10:45 am
Location: Ishione Ridge Path, Okutama-machi,
Tokyo
Victim: A thirty-two-year old man
Situation: Encounter with a mother bear and
its cub
during mountain climbing. The mother bear
swatted the man in the face and
ran with the cub. The victim received a fissure
on the right side of his
face needing 10 days for full recovery.
-
5/18/98 around 2:30 pm
Location: Daibosatutoge, Shioyama-shi, Yamanashi
Prefecture
Victim: A sixty-seven-year old man
Situation: While he was collecting Udo and
other mountain
vegetables in a swamp, a black bear charged
at the victim suddenly, biting
his face, arm, leg, etc. A serious injury
with flesh removed from the right
side of his face.
-
6/5/98 around 7 am
Location: Nakayamasawa, Okutama-machi, Tokyo
Victim: A sixty-five-year old man
Situation: On his way to the horseradish
field, he
encountered a mother bear with its cub and
was attacked. At the time of
the incidence, the victim was carrying a
radio with its volume turned way
up. A serious injury needing 14 days on his
forehead, head, arm, etc.
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