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Would you know what to do if you suddenly came face to face with an aggressive bear? What if you were hanging onto a sheer cliff face as the bear attacked? That’s exactly what happened to a rock climber at Mt. Futago in Japan when an aggressive Japanese black bear attacked from above. The climber knew exactly what to do and managed to hurl the bear to the ground below.
Attacks from black bears are on the rise in Japan.
©Volodymyr Burdiak/Shutterstock.com
Bear Attacks Are Rising in Japan
Japan is facing a crisis as the number of bear attacks on people has risen. In the past year, bears have attacked people 219 times, with six of those fatal. Because of this, the Japanese government has just approved a bill that allows hunters to shoot dangerous animals when they are in populated areas. The new law is meant to address when black bears, brown bears, or wild boars wander into urban areas and are likely to cause harm.
Some wildlife experts believe that due to climate change, the bears have changed their hibernation patterns and are wandering far beyond their usual habitats in search of food. This can lead them directly in the paths of people. Another factor is Japan’s declining rural areas, leading the bears to wander into less populated areas.
What Bears Live in Japan?
Japan is home to the brown bear and the Asiatic black bear. Both species are omnivores and enjoy eating acorns. The brown bear is the larger of the two and can weigh 300 to 860 pounds. The black bear weighs around 200 to 440 pounds.
Both bear species prefer to avoid people but can get aggressive when they feel threatened. The biggest threat to humans from bears comes when a mother is protecting her cubs. The rock climber at Mt. Fugato believed his attack was from a mother bear with a cub.
What Kind of Bear Attacked the Rock Climber?
The video of the attack, posted by the YouTube channel, Bear Attacks Climber, has now gone viral. The bear in the video was a Japanese black bear, a subspecies of the Asiatic bear. Japanese black bears live in forests, are mainly nocturnal, and eat a variety of plants. They also will eat insects and small reptiles. Although they mainly avoid people, this bear may have been overly aggressive because her cub was nearby.
The climber said in his video description, “It seems that the bear attacked me to protect the cub. I invaded bear territory, but since they attacked me, I defended myself with self-defense.”
The attack occurred on Mount Futago, a popular hiking spot in the central volcanic region of Mount Hakone. The area is famous for its natural beauty, hiking trails, rock climbing, and hot springs. It’s also known for its diverse wildlife, including Japanese bears.
How Did the Climber Survive?
If you watch the video, you will see that when the black bear attacks the climber from above, his first response is fear. However, he quickly remembers how to survive a bear attack and goes into offensive mode. Fortunately for the climber, this worked, and the bear moved on as the climber began ascending up the mountain and away from the bear.
The hiker explained, after the attack ended, “The bear family went down, so I climbed back up to the summit.” He continued, “After taking a breather, I returned the way I came and descended.” He also described that he had cuts and scratches from hanging onto the rock, and his wrist was sprained.
How to Protect Yourself From an Asiatic Bear Attack
Wildlife experts recommend making noise when walking in bear territory to alert the bears you are there. Talk, whistle, blow a whistle, or click your hiking poles together to make noise. Bears don’t want an encounter with you any more than you do with the bear. If they hear humans coming, they often go the other way. If a bear approaches you, don’t try to run, but stand your ground. Stay calm and try to quietly back away. Don’t make eye contact as this can be seen as a threat.
If the bear doesn’t back off but continues toward you, act aggressively. Stand as big as you can, wave your arms, and shout loudly. Throw rocks, or whatever you can find, to scare the bear away, although be careful not to bend down; you don’t want to make yourself look smaller and vulnerable to the bear. Make a lot of noise, bang on pots and pans, or blow whistles. If the bear continues to attack, fight back with everything you have.
Don’t Fight Back if It’s a Grizzly Bear
Grizzly bears require a different strategy for survival. If you are in the U.S. or Canada and are attacked by a grizzly bear, experts recommend just the opposite of what you do for other bear attacks. Don’t fight back, play dead, and protect your head and neck with your hands and arms. Stay still and don’t make noise in an effort to make the bear understand you aren’t a threat. Of course, if the bear persists and attacks you, you have no choice but to try to fight back.
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