A bear described by authorities as ‘extremely intelligent’ is evading capture in Japan after attacking four people. Sources confirm the animal, believed to be a brown bear, was first spotted early Tuesday morning in the city of Sapporo on the northern island of Hokkaido.
Officials say the bear has outwitted traps and patrols, moving through residential areas with apparent ease. The attacks left four people injured, including an elderly woman who suffered severe lacerations to her arm. Local police have issued evacuation orders for parts of the city as search teams equipped with tranquiliser guns and nets comb the area.
‘This is not your average bear,’ said a spokesperson for the Hokkaido Prefectural Police. ‘It has shown a level of cunning that is unusual. It avoids repeat visits to locations where it has encountered humans and seems to anticipate our moves.’
The bear’s behaviour has prompted comparisons to a 2021 incident in the same region where a different bear killed four people over several days before being shot. That bear, dubbed ‘the demon bear’, had similarly displayed evasive tactics.
Environmental activists have criticised the reliance on lethal force as a solution. ‘We are seeing the consequences of habitat destruction,’ said Yuki Tanaka of the Japan Bear Conservation Society. ‘Bears come into towns because their forests are disappearing. The government must address this rather than just chasing and shooting them.’
The Hokkaido government has deployed additional officers and set up mobile command centres. A drone unit has been brought in to track the animal from the air. But so far, the bear has slipped every net.
‘It’s almost as if it understands our methods,’ a frustrated officer told local media. ‘It moves at night, stays in heavily wooded areas, and only crosses roads when surveillance is minimal.’
The question now is: how far will it go? Historically, bears that have tasted human food or attacked people become more brazen. If not captured soon, the risk to residents escalates.
For now, Sapporo remains on edge. Schools in affected zones are closed. Residents have been told to stay indoors and lock their garbage bins. The search continues, and so does the bear’s escape.
As one local put it: ‘We are not used to being the hunted.’
