Wolf robots released into the wild to fight bears

A wolf robot in Japan with piercing red eyes and fangs was patrolling to scare off potential predators after a series of bear attacks.

Residents were forced to take action after the beasts attacked a frightening number of elderly citizens. Initially, this concept entered the public sphere in order to protect farm animals with the help of stuffed animals, intimidating wild animals from entering undesirable territory. But now that people are being attacked, they are being used for a new purpose.

According to the president of Wolf Kamuy, the president of the manufacturer of the mechanical device, wolves have been effectively used for this purpose since the fall of 2020.

Since this idea has proved successful, there has been a surge in purchases of metal animals by local authorities in Japan in recent months to avoid bear attacks, the number of which has increased dramatically.

As reported by The Daily Mirror, government officials have found that young people from rural villages are leaving elderly people alone in sparsely populated cities. This prompted the bears to go to areas they didn't have before.

The formidable animals got used to bright light and noise and subsequently stopped being afraid of people.

Shinsuke Koike, a professor at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, said:

"More and more rural farmlands in the foothills that once served as buffer zones between bears and humans are disappearing."

Over the past six decades, the northern region of Hokkaido has been the victim of 150 attacks by brown bears.

And, unfortunately, things are getting worse. In 2021, officials recorded one of the deadliest years in history: four people died, and ten more were left with injuries.

The rest of the country is inhabited by the Asian black bear, known for its cream crescent on the chest, which, although less aggressive, is still capable of violence.

Attacks usually occur in April, when the animals wake up from hibernation, and in September, when they are trying to gain weight to survive the winter months.

Mr. Koike concluded:

"According to statistics, if the number of attacks and injuries increases, the probability of loss of life will probably also increase."