An 82-year-old woman survived a bear attack in northern Japan, the latest in a series of such incidents across the country.
What is happening?
In early October, a security camera in Daisen, a city in Akita prefecture in northern Japan, captured the horrific attack.
The video, shared on TikTok by CNA (@channelnewsasia), shows a bear running after the woman, jumping next to her and clawing at her face. Understandably, the woman screams in terror and tries to escape, but the bear chases her again.
Fortunately, a car stopped and the woman was able to get in before being seriously injured. According to CNA, she was taken to the hospital with scratches on her face.
“This could have ended so horribly,” one TikTok commenter wrote. “It’s good that it was a street that people drove on.”
CNA also reported that this was at least the third bear attack in Japan within a few days.
Why is the bear attack worrying?
As Phys.org shared, seven people have died this year in Japan from bear attacks, the highest number since authorities began keeping track nearly 20 years ago. At least 108 people have been injured across the country in such attacks since April.
Unfortunately, encounters like this have become more common around the world.
Another video captured a bear attacking a Florida homeowner in his front yard, and a Canadian man needed surgery after he and his wife were attacked by a pair of grizzly bears along the Kootenay River.
The exact reasons for each attack are difficult to determine, but in general, experts believe that the increase in animal attacks is due to a number of man-made factors.
Urban sprawl and development have forced wildlife to leave their natural habitat and move to unfamiliar places, such as neighborhoods. Meanwhile, heat-trapping pollution has caused global temperatures to rise, exacerbating extreme weather events such as droughts.
This has caused a change in the habitats and food supplies of many animals, all of which can make wildlife feel scared, vulnerable and ready to attack.
What can you do to stay safe?
The National Park Service offers several tips on how to stay safe around bears. The first thing, as expected, is to pay attention to your surroundings and keep your distance as much as possible.
Knowing what type of bear you have encountered is crucial in case the animal attacks.
If a black bear attacks you, the NPS urges you to defend yourself by any means possible. However, if it is a grizzly or brown bear, the agency recommends covering your head and neck with your arms and playing dead.
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