A bear that caused chaos at a supermarket in northern Japan was captured two days after attacking a worker. The case is the latest in a wave of incidents involving bears in the country.
The animal entered the store in the city of Akita on Saturday (30) and attacked a 47-year-old employee, who suffered a minor head injury, police said.
It took two more days before authorities were able to capture the bear – and during that time it ransacked the meat section and damaged some shelves, police said, citing the store manager.
Bear attacks are becoming a growing problem for the country, especially in northern Japan, where mountain ranges and lush forests provide ideal habitat.
But climate change is interfering with flowering and pollination schedules, disrupting bears’ traditional food sources, forcing them to venture into urban areas in search of food, some experts have suggested.
The bear, believed to be three feet long, remained in the store after attacking the worker, so authorities sent a drone inside on Sunday to find it, public broadcaster NHK reported.
Outside, police officers wearing protective equipment and shields entered the supermarket through an entrance covered with a piece of plastic, according to images from local media.
The bear was later found in the storage area, so workers set a trap with honey and apples to attract the intruder. The bear was captured this Monday (2).
The animal was later slaughtered, an Akita prefectural spokesperson told CNN .
The number of bear attacks in the province has been higher than normal this year, after reaching a record last year, the spokesperson said.
Japan also recorded the highest number of injuries or property damage as a result of bear attacks in the fiscal year ending in March, according to NHK.
This content was originally published in Bear attacks worker and loots meat section in supermarket in Japan on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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