News 2 Black Bears Hakone Nature Observation Forest (Hakone-machi), Kanagawa Jan 1, 2017

Description

In 2017, Professor Yoshikazu Seki of Tamagawa University installed camera traps in the Hakone Nature Observation Forest (southern Hakone), and cameras near the old highway Hatashuku captured black-furred Asiatic black bears, with at least three individuals identified. This reconfirmed the presence of bears in Hakone long thought to have been extinct since before the war.

Note: Official sources provide information in Japanese only. This description has been machine translated for your convenience.

Summary

Bears long thought extinct in Hakone were rediscovered on camera in 2017. Camera traps set by Professor Seki in the Hakone Nature Observation Forest captured at least three Asiatic black bears, including full-grown, dark-coated individuals, suggesting bears may now be regularly present across the Hakone area.

Bear Type

Black Bear

Number of Bears

2

Provider Type

News

Date & Time

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Address

Coordinates

35.223998, 139.000482

Sources