Authorities captured a male brown bear on Tuesday afternoon in a residential neighborhood of Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture [1].
The incident has disrupted the local community, leading to the closure of elementary and middle schools to ensure student safety [2].
The bear, which measured approximately one meter in length and weighed about 100 kilograms [3], was captured using a tranquilizer gun in a quiet residential area [1]. The operation took place around 3:30 p.m. [2].
Despite the capture, officials remain on high alert. Fresh bear footprints were discovered about 50 meters from where the first bear was caught [1]. A local resident said the animal had climbed over a fence approximately 150 centimeters high to enter a vegetable patch [1].
Police and the local hunting association will continue patrols for three days to determine if other animals are in the area [2]. A police representative said the possibility of a second bear cannot be ruled out [1].
Utsunomiya city officials and law enforcement are working to prevent further incursions into the residential zone. The presence of a large predator in a densely populated area poses a significant public safety risk, prompting the current emergency measures [2].
“The possibility of a second bear cannot be ruled out.”
The decision to keep schools closed and maintain patrols after a successful capture suggests that authorities are treating the footprint evidence as a high-probability indicator of a second animal. This cautious approach reflects a broader effort to mitigate human-wildlife conflict in urban fringes where residential expansion often overlaps with natural bear habitats.
