Are robo-wolves the answer to Japan’s bear problem? Engineers hope so
In the movies, Japan had Godzilla to answer King Kong. But now, as residents face a serious violent bear problem, Japanese engineers are turning to another monster of their own making to keep the bears at bay — a mechanical wolf.
The “Monster Wolf” is a robot with a swivelling head and a howl as loud as a car horn. It has become an unlikely symbol of Japan’s effort to deter increasingly bold brown and black bears.
First launched in 2016 and initially mocked as “foolish,” the device has proved effective after rental trials, with around 330 now deployed across Japan.
Its infrared sensors activate when animals approach, triggering flashing lights and a rotating mix of 50 sounds, including wolf cries and human voices. The audio was built using artificial intelligence and copyright-free material to ensure variety so that bears do not become used to a single warning.
Ohta Seiki Co, the Hokkaido company behind the Monster Wolf, said inquiries for the mechanical animal have tripled, including from overseas. One request from India even asked whether the device might work on elephants.
Company president Yuji Ota said bears typically avoid anything that signals human activity. The firm is now developing mobile and portable versions to help residents fend off bears during hikes or in remote communities.
This, after Japan’s bear problem took a serious and deadly turn this year.
At least 13 people have been killed and more than 100 injured since April, according to the Ministry of Environment, the highest toll since records began in 2006. Authorities in northern prefectures have deployed troops, drones, and early-warning systems as sightings climb sharply.
Both brown bears, found mainly in Hokkaido, and Asiatic black bears, more common in the densely populated mainland, have been involved in the attacks. Experts say black bear encounters are more frequent due to their wider distribution, while brown bear attacks tend to be more severe because of their size and strength.
Bear encounters in Akita alone have risen sixfold this year, with more than 50 people attacked since May, often in residential areas. In one November case, a bear injured two women in Gojome Town after one tried to help the other. Other attacks have occurred in farms and even inside a supermarket in central Japan.
The United States warned citizens of increased bear activity near populated zones, noting the temporary closure of Sapporo’s Maruyama Park after a sighting. The United Kingdom advised travellers to avoid forested areas unless accompanied and to properly dispose of food waste.
With communities overwhelmed, some officials say the situation has surpassed their capacity to cope. Akita’s governor warned that exhaustion among local responders “is reaching its limit.”
Whether a robo-wolf can succeed where electric fences and patrols have struggled remains to be seen. But for now, Japan is hoping that a mechanical monster might help keep the real ones away.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
