北海道ほっかいどう初山別しょさんべつ村むら中学校ちゅうがっこう敷地しきちにいたヒグマ見みつからず警戒けいかい続つづく

On the morning of the 23rd, a brown bear that was on the grounds of a junior high school in Shosanbetsu Village, Hokkaido, was hit by a bullet fired by a member of the local hunting association, but it escaped into the mountains and, even after more than a day has passed, it still has not been found.

Police and village authorities are increasing patrols and tightening security around the area.

On the morning of the 23rd, a local hunting association member fired at a brown bear that was on the grounds of Shosanbetsu Junior High School, and the bullet hit the area near the bear’s rump.

According to the village, the bear fell down once but quickly got back up and ran off toward the mountains, and even after more than a day had passed, as of the evening of the 24th, it still had not been found.

On the 23rd, police and village officials conducted intensive patrols at the junior high school and nearby temples and shrines.

Village staff visually checked the slope behind the junior high school building for any brown bears, and also used a public relations vehicle to call on people not to work alone outdoors.

At this junior high school and the adjacent elementary school, classes will be held on the 25th with parents driving their children to and from school, and the village plans to install electric fences around the schools.

Also, in response to a series of brown bear sightings in this area, the prefectural government has issued a Brown Bear Alert from the 24th for one month, urging residents to be cautious.

Mr. Takayuki Onishi, head of the Economic Affairs Division in Shosanbetsu Village, said, We are prepared for a long-term response.

This area is known for frequent brown bear sightings, but it seems like theyre getting closer to the city every year, he said.

Im not sure if it was the same brown bear, but the sighting occurred a little after 9 a.m. on the 23rd, about two hours before the shooting, on the grounds of a temple right next to the junior high school.

The footage taken by a local resident from inside the temple showed a brown bear wandering around the cemetery.

The person who filmed the video said, It looked like a bear cub, but it was walking along leisurely.

I hope it doesnt cause any trouble, but it would be terrifying if it started attacking people, he said.