Bear That Caused Mass School Closures Is Captured
Newser • • world
Key Points:
- A lone black bear caused the closure of all 94 primary and secondary schools in Utsunomiya, Japan, a city of about 500,000 people, after multiple sightings over the weekend.
- Residents were advised to lock their doors and windows and seek shelter indoors if they encountered the bear, which was seen sprinting past pedestrians downtown.
- After drone searches, the bear was located on a private property and tranquilized by a local veterinarian on Tuesday, according to city officials.
- Authorities believe only one bear was responsible for the sightings but continue to investigate, amid a record 50,000 bear sightings in Japan this year, mostly in the northeast region.
- Bear encounters are increasingly occurring closer to Tokyo, with multiple attacks reported in mountainous areas during foraging activities.