Utsunomiya bear hunt: all 94 schools in city shut after beast spotted for first time

Utsunomiya, a Japanese city of half a million people north of Tokyo, has closed all 94 of its primary and secondary schools after a black bear was reportedly spotted in a residential area for the first time ever

A Japanese city has closed all their primary and secondary schools after a bear was sighted in a residential area for the first time ever.

A whopping 94 schools were shut down in Utsunomiya, a city of half a million inhabitants 62 miles north of Tokyo, as officials hunt for a black bear that was spotted near a park in the city on Saturday (June 6).

CCTV captured the bear sprinting past two young men in the city centre on Sunday (June 7), when the bear was also observed in residential areas during daylight hours. There were further sightings near an industrial district on Monday (June 8).

Emergency services are now warning residents to keep their doors and windows locked and not to approach the bear if they spot it.

Just last week, police were also on the hunt for an “extremely intelligent” bear which assaulted four people after seemingly evading capture by unlocking a window.

Police and fire department officials dashed to the Sasakino district of Fukushima in northeastern Japan following an emergency call from the Fukushima Steel Works reporting bear attacks on two employees earlier this week.

Security camera footage revealed a black bear appearing and pursuing an employee near the entrance. A man in his 20s attempted to escape, but the bear knocked him to the ground.

It then ventured into the compound and injured a second male employee in his 60s, reports the Express.

The bear subsequently attacked a third victim, a male worker in his 60s, at a different firm. An 80-year-old woman residing in the area was also mauled and hurt, according to the Fukushima City Fire Department.

These incidents occur as the Japanese government estimated in March that the total bear population stands at approximately 57,800. Authorities have implemented a strategic plan for bear population control, advocating for organised culling. The scheme will see bear control personnel treble to 2,500 over five years, while bear traps will be doubled.

Additional bear encounters have been reported recently in Tokyo’s western outskirts, including the Okutama hiking region. Park authorities have installed extra traps and issued bear warnings via social media.

The government has intensified its public awareness drive, advising ramblers and mushroom foragers to monitor alerts about bear encounters and steer clear of outdoor pursuits during dawn and dusk when bears are most active.

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