If you clicked the link in Thursday’s bear post to a report on how Nagano, Japan, is handling problem bears, you saw this:
On the edge of a woodsy Nagano Prefecture road, the Picchio Wildlife Research Center team held the perimeter and yelled instructions. A young college intern yanked on a rope tied to a metallic, drum-like container, and, suddenly, a 55-kilogram Japanese black bear bolted from its door.
Another team member shot a projectile skyward. It thunderously exploded in a smoky cloud. The startled bear dashed through the thick green foliage and disappeared down a steep valley.
A fearless black-and-white Karelian Bear Dog and her handler trailed after it to confirm the escape. Fortunately, since the bear was heading away from residential areas, the dog and her handler returned quickly. This late afternoon release in the mountains above Karuizawa was a scary but positive end to the bear’s experience.
It was also a textbook example of a safe wild animal release designed to condition local bears to avoid people.
Perhaps you wondered what that looks like.
It looks like this:
On first seeing this Washington State video a few months ago, it seemed unnecessary and cruel. Then I learned about Japan’s serious bear problem and how such releases are helping protect both people AND bears.
Wikipedia notes that “Karelian Bear Dogs were introduced in 2004 in Karuizawa, Japan, a popular resort town 170 km northwest of Tokyo, where they reduced the number of bear incidents from 255 in 2006 to four in 2017.”
And from Backpacker Magazine: “Think of the dogs as gnats.”
That Wikipedia article can tell you a lot about Karelian bear dogs. There is an American Kennel Club page, too, as well as one for the American Karelian Bear Dog Alliance.
And if you want to find out more about the Washington State program, here’s a webinar that includes a talk with the man who founded it:
Lagniappe:
A little kodo to carry through the Japan theme this weekend…
What’s that? The neighbors asked you to keep it down? Okay:
Featured image: US Army IMCOM, CC BY-NC 2.0. At the link is the story behind this image, which was taken in Washington State.
Flight To Wonder 