Japanese authorities search for bear that invaded homes and ate food

Expert Assessment of the Situation

Shicho Chida, a bear specialist from the Iwate prefectural conservation department, stated that it is unusual for a bear to repeatedly invade the same location. She suggested it might be the same animal, which is why they are striving to catch it as soon as possible. Previously, a bear was caught that had trespassed into farm buildings four times in the last two weeks, feeding on milk feed for livestock. The animal was filmed attempting to open a sliding door in the middle of the night but fled after a farmer shone a light on it and shouted loudly.

Attempts to Deter the Beast

To scare away the intruder, the man began scattering a homemade mixture containing Japanese mustard around the entrances. Last Friday, another resident returned home from shopping and found a bear inside, near the room where his elderly father slept. The animal ran outside when he forcefully slammed the door, but it attempted to re-enter. The man had to struggle for about thirty seconds to keep the sliding door closed while the bear stood on its hind legs, trying to break through.

Love for Sweets

The next day, a woman found the bear foraging for food in her kitchen. On Sunday, the animal invaded a Japanese confectionery shop and took donuts from the refrigerator. Furthermore, attracted by the sweet taste, the bear trespassed into a house five times, eating cookies, sugar, and karinto—a Japanese delicacy made of fried dough covered in sugar.