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.
 

  1. 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.)
     
  2. 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.
     
  3. 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.
     
  4. 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.
     
  5. 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.
     
  6. 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.
     
  7. 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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