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Japan has created emergency measures to address record bear attacks. The government said bears have killed 13 people and injured more than 100 since April. The death toll is the highest since records began. Wildlife experts have created a plan to reduce the increasing numbers of deaths, injuries, and encounters with bears. Part of this plan is to reduce bear populations in areas where the animals have been seen. Another feature is region-specific capture targets. Authorities will also set up buffer zones to separate bear habitats from human residential areas.
There are two species of bear in Japan. Their numbers have surged in the past decade. Estimates suggest the black bear population has tripled since 2012 — rising from 15,000 to 44,000. The larger and more dangerous brown bears, native to Hokkaido, have doubled in number. There are several reasons why bear populations are increasing. One is a shortage of beech nuts. Another reason is a declining number of hunters, who are largely responsible for bear culls. Finally, depopulation in rural areas means bears are wandering into towns and villages.
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