"The 32-year-old New Zealander was settling into an 8km run when he spotted two Asiatic black bears about 30 metres ahead. I was quite startled, and was like crap' I'll turn around, Halloran says. One of the bears made a bit of an approach towards me I made myself pretty big and loud and tall, and the bear was quite aggressive, making noise."
"Sensing that the bear was about to charge, and with the sound of the bell drowned out by a nearby roaring river, Halloran raised his right arm to shield his head. It knocked me to the ground and bit my arm in that one bite it was broken, he says. It let go of my arm and had a good go at my leg, scratching it."
"Data show that encounters between bears and humans are no longer a rarity. A record 13 people have died in bear attacks in Japan this year more than double the previous high and more than a 100 have been injured, according to the environment ministry. About 20,000 bear sightings were reported nationwide between April and September, about 7,000 more than in the same period in 2024."
Authorities in Japan are urging loud conversations, whistles and carrying plastic bottles to reduce bear encounters. A runner in Myoko, a 32-year-old New Zealander, encountered two Asiatic black bears and suffered a broken arm and leg scratches after attempting to ward one off. Data show a record 13 fatalities and more than 100 injuries from bear attacks this year, with about 20,000 sightings reported between April and September. Akita prefecture reported 60 attacks, four fatal, prompting its governor to request assistance from the self-defence forces and deployment of 15 soldiers. Experts attribute the surge to worsening social and environmental crises.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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