Hachioji City officials are planning to capture an Asian black bear after the animal was filmed in a wooded area of Moto-Hachioji Town [1].
The sighting is significant because the bear appeared in a residential jurisdiction where traps had previously been set for wild boars, signaling a shift in local wildlife patterns.
Camera footage from April 29, 2026, shows the bear approaching a trap at approximately 8:15 p.m. [2]. The animal is estimated to be more than one meter in length [3]. While the trap had been installed to capture wild boars, the bear was attracted to the bait inside the device [1].
Local residents expressed surprise at the sighting. "Recently, even boars hadn't been appearing. There were signs of them, but then suddenly it was a bear," a resident said [4].
No injuries have been reported following the sighting [5]. In response to the footage, the city is moving to secure the area and prevent potential human-wildlife conflict.
City officials said they will install specialized box traps to capture the animal. "The city plans to install capture box traps nearby based on the permit for the capture of harmful birds and mammals," a Hachioji City representative said [6].
The city's strategy focuses on removing the animal from the wooded area to ensure the safety of residents in Moto-Hachioji Town [1].
“The animal is estimated to be more than one meter in length.”
The appearance of an Asian black bear in a suburban area like Hachioji suggests an encroachment of wildlife into human-populated zones. Because the bear was attracted to traps intended for boars, it indicates that general attractants are drawing larger predators closer to residential boundaries, necessitating a shift in the city's wildlife management tactics from boar control to predator capture.
