Bear trapped, put to sleep before killed - after 'three days of chaos' at supermarket in Japan

A bear that attacked a supermarket worker in northern Japan at the weekend before staying inside for three days has been euthanized after being found in a trap that local authorities set near the store's entrance.

A 47-year-old man was taken to hospital suffering from facial and other injuries after the attack in northern Akita prefecture on Saturday morning.

His injuries are not life-threatening, according to foreign media, Telegraph reports.

Police called in licensed hunters to kill the animal, which is said to be about one meter long, but they were initially unable to locate it, Kyodo news agency said.

Traps were set at the entrance to the supermarket, where the bear appeared to have eaten large amounts of meat.

A drone was also deployed to determine his location.

The bear that occupied a supermarket in Akita City for two days and ransacked its meat section has been captured in a cage trap. This is TV news footage of the bear leaving the supermarket (there's a blue tarp over the cage). pic.twitter.com/90fBHCePLa https://t.co/pzWIcbGLXQ

— Jeffrey J. Hall 🇯🇵🇺🇸 (@mrjeffu) December 2, 2024

Police said the bear was found in a trap containing honey, apples and bread placed between an entrance and a storage area after the government informed them that the trap's sensor had been activated early Monday morning.

The bear fell asleep before it was killed, Kyodo news agency said.

Authorities in parts of northern Japan are trying to address the growing number of "encounters" between humans and bears that have left their natural habitat in search of food.

Residents have been told to remain vigilant, including those in urban areas, while some have warned that the lack of food means some hungry animals will continue to forage during the cold months.

Authorities reported 219 casualties, including six deaths, from bear attacks in 19 of Japan's 47 prefectures in the 12 months to March this year - the highest figure since nationwide data became available. /Telegraph/