Police officials host 'bear drills' following string of bear attacks
Last month, a bear attacked a man in his 70s near an elementary school in Nasushiobara City, Japan's public media organization NHK reported.
The nearly five-foot bear wounded the man's neck and head, leaving non-threatening wounds.
Another attack took place in Morioka City with a bear attacking an 81-year-old man's head, according to NHK.
A school in Aibetsu, Hokkaido, canceled its outdoor classes over what appeared to be bear footprints spotted in the school yard.
The events have sparked police in Tochigi Prefecture to partner with a local hunters club to conduct "bear drills," according to The Associated Press (AP).
In the drills, a man is seen wearing a bear costume as he runs and chases police armed with shields and helmets.
The drill included medical response training following the simulation.
The National Park Service (NPS) shares guidelines with park visitors on its website on best practices in a bear encounter.
"Identify yourself by talking calmly so the bear knows you are a human and not a prey animal," says the NPS site.
"Remain still; stand your ground but slowly wave your arms."
If a bear stands up, NPS reminds visitors that "a standing bear is usually curious, not threatening."
Park visitors should not allow the bear to access their food.
Visitors should not run from the bear — nor should they climb a tree.
"Leave the area or take a detour. If this is impossible, wait until the bear moves away. Always leave the bear an escape route," NPS says on its site.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after grizzly bear attack in B.C.
A man has been hospitalized with injuries following a grizzly bear attack near Creston, B.C., said B.C. Conservation Service officers, who later determined the animal's behaviour was defensive in nature. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) said in a social media post that the attack happened around 4:30 p.m. Saturday when a husband and wife were riding e-bikes along the Kootenay River near West Creston in southeast B.C. The service said the wife heard her husband scream and saw a grizzly bear running at her. She used bear spray and then realized a second bear was attacking her husband. The wife used bear spray again, and both bears ran off, according to the BCCOS. "Emergency services were called, and the man was transported to hospital in Cranbrook by ambulance, where he underwent surgery," the BCCOS said. RCMP said in a separate statement that the attack happened in the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area. Investigators believe the bears are two to three years old and are known to have been in the area over the last few years. According to police, the two victims were riding their bikes along the park's dike system, near a bat hut, when they were attacked. "The preparedness in this case by way of ready access and use of bear spray may prove to have been a life-saving measure," said Creston RCMP Staff Sgt. Brandon Buliziuk in the statement, reminding hikers to be prepared to encounter predators in the wild. A wildlife co-existence coordinator in the area said on Monday that it's possible the e-bikers came upon the bears too quickly and weren't making enough noise to herald their coming. "Unfortunately, startling a bear is, you know, one of the things that these conflicts arise as a result of," said Dee Howard with Creston Valley Wildlife. Sgt. Ben Beetlestone with the BCCOS confirmed to CBC News on Monday that the two cyclists encountered the bears on a blind corner in a trail that was thick with bushes. "They were very well prepared with their bear spray for an encounter with bears," he said. "[The wife] was very brave, as she was able to have the foresight to call 911 right away and get an ambulance rolling there." The BCCOS says conservation officers swept the area after the attack and didn't locate the bears. They closed three major trails in the area, installed signage and set up traps on Saturday night, but no bears were captured. On Monday, the BCCOS said in a post it determined that the attack was defensive in nature and there was no evidence to suggest the bear had been stalking or hunting the couple. It said officers interviewed the couple, assessed the attack site and consulted with a regional large carnivore specialist. "Due to the defensive nature of the attack, there are no efforts being taken to capture or dispatch the bears at this time," it said. The BCCOS initially called the man's injuries significant, while the RCMP called them life-threatening. On Monday, the BCCOS said the victim underwent surgery and is expected to recover. Creston Mayor Arnold DeBoon, a former conservation officer, told CBC News that there have been concerted efforts over the last few decades to restore grizzly bears in the Creston Valley. "Over the years, they certainly have increased in numbers in the Creston Valley itself," he said. "Because it's agricultural land, these grizzlies have made a home down in the valley and feed quite nicely on silage corn in late summer, and they've certainly tried to get at cherry orchards and other orchards here." DeBoon said it was the third grizzly attack he was aware of in the area in the last few years, but the two previous ones didn't result in life-threatening injuries. "It's something we worry about because we do have fairly thick cover in places in the valley," he said. "I'm sure there have been many times people have walked by grizzly bears and they're in thick cover." Violent Grizzly bear attacks in B.C. are rare, but human conflict with the animals is not. Reports of problems to the BCCOS vary each year, but there are hundreds of calls, on average, close to 800 per year. DeBoon advised people in the backcountry to be on the lookout for telltale signs of bear activity, like bear poop, scratch marks and overturned rocks. "When you're focused on something that you enjoy, you're not always thinking about what the risk factor is ... and again, there are probably a lot of people here that aren't aware of the number of grizzlies that do live quietly in our valley," the mayor said.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
What should I do if I see a mountain lion on a Washington hike? Follow these tips
You're on a hiking trail in the Pacific Northwest when you catch a glimpse of a massive, cat-like creature with a tawny brown coat and a black-tipped tail. You've just spotted a mountain lion. 'Cougars are one of the most reclusive, elusive and stealthy creatures of the forests,' the National Park Service said on its website. 'Thus, they are rarely seen by people.' A mountain lion recently injured a child who was hiking in Olympic National Park, The News Tribune reported. How common are cougars in Washington state? What should you do if you encounter a mountain lion in the wild? Here's what to know: What happened in cougar attack at Olympic National Park? On Sunday, July 20, a mountain lion attacked a 4-year-old child near the Victoria Overlook area on Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park, the NPS said in a Monday, July 21 news release. Olympic National Park in northwest Washington encompasses nearly a million acres of land, including 'glacier-capped mountains, old-growth temperate rain forests and over 70 miles of wild coastline,' the NPS says on its website. The wild cat, which was wearing a tracking collar, bit the child while they were 'walking with their family on a popular trail,' the federal parks agency said. 'Park staff located and dispatched the animal' the following day, the NPS said in the release. 'There are no current threats to the public.' Mountain lion attacks on humans are 'incredibly rare,' according to the Mountain Lion Foundation. The nonprofit conservation group said there have been just 29 cases of fatal mountain lion attacks involving people in North America since 1868. Only two people have died from cougar attacks in Washington state in the past century or so, Sierra magazine reported in 2018. What do cougars look like? Cougars, also known as mountain lions or pumas, are 'sleek and graceful' predators known for their 'strength, agility and awesome ability to jump,' according to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. The big cats vary in color from reddish-brown to tawny to gray, sporting black tips on their long, ropy tails, the state wildlife agency said on its website. Cougar kittens sport spots until they turn 4 or 5 months old. Cougars are considerably bigger than other members of the cat family found in Washington state, such as bobcats and Canada lynx. Adult male cougars can weigh up to 180 pounds and measure 7 to 8 feet long 'from nose to tip of tail,' the Washington Fish & Wildlife Department said, while female mountain lions rarely weigh more than 110 pounds. How common are mountain lions in Washington state? According to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, cougars be found throughout Washington state wherever 'suitable cover and prey are found.' 'Cougars use steep canyons, rock outcroppings and boulders or vegetation such as dense brush and forests to remain hidden while hunting,' the agency said, with male mountain lions covering a range of 50 to 150 square miles to find food. Although it doesn't regularly monitor or count cougar numbers, the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife estimates there are approximately 2,400 adult or nearly adult cougars living in the state. What's the best way to prevent a cougar attack? According to the Mountain Lion Foundation, the best way to prevent encounters with cougars is to keep them away from your property. 'The best thing to do is to keep a barrier between you and the wildlife,' the nonprofit said. 'By doing so, you will save your pets and livestock from becoming dinner and help keep (cougars) out of trouble ...' The Mountain Lion Foundation recommends bringing your pets indoors 'whenever possible,' especially at night. 'Cougars are most active from dusk to dawn,' the Washington Department of Fish & Wild life said, although it's 'not unusual' for the wild cats to go hunting during the day. You should also secure your livestock at night in a 'fully enclosed structure' such as a shed or barn, the Mountain Lion Foundation said, adding that tall fences and specially trained guard dogs can also keep cougars at bay. You should avoid attracting deer — cougars' natural prey — to your yard or garden by keeping tempting, tasty plants at a minimum and installing proper fencing, the Mountain Lion Foundation said. You can keep away other mountain lion food sources, including raccoons and feral cats, by storing pet food in a secure enclosure, feeding your animals indoors and securing your garbage cans, the foundation said. 'Timed or motion sensor alarms with flashing lights, loud noises and sprinklers may work on mountain lions, and can also provide an added bonus of scaring other pesky neighbors who show up uninvited,' the Mountain Lion Foundation said. What should I do if I encounter a mountain lion? Before hitting the trail, the Mountain Lion Foundation recommends putting on 'bright and highly contrasting clothing' and asking about recent wildlife sightings. You should stay on trails, check maps to avoid getting lost and keep your pets secure on leashes. 'Avoid jogging or mountain biking in low-light conditions at dusk and dawn,' the Mountain Lion Foundation said. According to the NPS, you should follow these steps if you see a cougar in the wild: Do not approach. Stop, stay calm and do not turn your back. Do not run. Face the animal, stand upright, talk calmly and firmly to the cougar and give it a way to escape if you can. Do all you can to appear larger. For example, open your jacket and raise or wave your arms. Pick up small children or pets so they won't panic, flee or make rapid movements. If the cougar becomes more aggressive, become more aggressive toward it. Fight back if attacked. Since mountain lions are 'potentially dangerous' animals, you should report all cougar sightings to park rangers or submit an online wildlife report, the NPS said. Solve the daily Crossword
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
18-year-old swimmer drowns at Assateague Island weeks after request for more lifeguards
Maryland Sens. Angela Alsobrooks and Chris Van Hollen had recently asked the Trump administration to add lifeguard positions at the national park. An 18-year-old man died while swimming at Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland according to the National Park Service. The drowning death came weeks after senators urged the Trump administration to fill vacant lifeguard positions at Maryland's portion of the national park. On Thursday, July 24, at around 4:15 p.m. local time, a relative of the victim "ran down the beach" to inform lifeguards that a pair of swimmers were well off the shore and "struggling in the water," the National Park Service stated in a press release. The two were swimming at Chincotague Beach, around 145 miles southeast of Annapolis. "Although the area of the incident is 150 yards south of the lifeguarded zone," the on-duty lifeguards quickly responded, the NPS said. One swimmer was successfully rescued, but the other man was pulled out of the water unconscious and unresponsive and was administered CPR immediately. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead upon arrival, according to NPS. The names of the deceased victim and the swimmer he was with were not released. Law enforcement from the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, contracted lifeguards, and the state of Virginia assisted with the search and rescue. Senators asked for lifeguards in the area: 'Drownings happen in minutes' Less than two weeks before the drowning, on July 11, 2025, U.S. Sens. Angela Alsobrooks and Chris Van Hollen sent a letter to the Trump administration requesting lifeguard positions in the Maryland portion of Assateague Island National Seashore to be filled after budget cuts and staffing shortages left them vacant, according to Delmarva Now, a part of the USA TODAY Network. "Drownings happen in minutes, and there is no substitute for attentive lifeguards specifically assigned to monitoring water safety at Assateague," the letter stated. The vacancy started in June 2025. In the statement, the NPS reminded visitors to "never venture too far from shore and pay attention to wind and currents, which can transport you long distances quickly." Contributing: Olivia Minzola, Salisbury Daily Times Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@
