Japan's Ministry of the Environment is launching a nationwide camera-trap survey to accurately estimate the number of wild bears [1].
Precise population data is necessary for the government to set appropriate capture quotas and evaluate current measures against a rise in bear sightings and property damage [1].
Environment Minister Ishihara said the government will install more than 800 cameras across the country [3]. The survey is scheduled to run from late June 2024 until late September 2024 [2].
The project will begin in the Tohoku region, covering six prefectures and part of Niigata [2]. Initial cameras will be placed in the mountains of Sendai before the program expands nationwide [4].
To identify specific animals, the ministry will focus on the distinctive "moon" pattern found on a bear's chest. A Ministry of the Environment spokesperson said the chest pattern allows the government to identify individual bears without harming them [5].
"We will conduct a unified camera survey to obtain accurate data on bear numbers," Ishihara said [6]. He said the scale of the deployment will help the government understand the true scope of the problem [3].
“The distinctive chest pattern allows us to identify individual bears without harming them.”
This initiative represents a shift toward data-driven wildlife management in Japan. By moving away from anecdotal sightings and toward individual identification via biometric markers, the government can determine if bear populations are expanding into human habitats due to environmental changes or food scarcity, allowing for more precise interventions than blanket quotas.
