After a record number of assaults on humans in the last year due to bears struggling to locate their staple foods, Japan is going to test an AI bear-warning system.
Authorities in Japan are concerned due to an alarming increase in bear attacks on civilians throughout the past year. The Japanese Ministry of Environment reports that in 2023, over 200 people have escaped bear attacks, already exceeding the 158 recorded in 2020. Although bears are known to live in northern portions of Japan, a number of factors, including population growth and climate change, have contributed to their encroachment into areas inhabited by humans. Japan is currently getting ready to test an AI bear-warning system to monitor its activities in the wake of such a grave crisis.
A trial system in the central Japanese prefecture of Toyama will track live feeds from private, municipal, and government security cameras to detect bears in close proximity to people and promptly alert hunters, police, and relevant local authorities.
In addition to this, AI will be utilized to track their gait and make predictions about what they will do next. By summer 2024, the pilot system is expected to be operational. If successful, it will be used in other regions where reports of frequent bear sightings exist. Should the plan prove effective, it will be used in other regions of the nation where bear numbers are substantial.
Should the plan prove effective, it will be used in other regions of the nation where bear numbers are substantial.
In this year up to March, bear assaults caused 219 injuries and six fatalities throughout 19 prefectures, the greatest number recorded since national data became accessible. The increase in bear encounters has been attributed to causes such as depopulation in rural areas and fluctuating yields of staple foods. Experts say another explanation is a gradual decline in the number of youngsters living in country towns and villages, whose louder behaviour helps scare off bears.
Bear sightings are frequently reported along the rivers, with alerts transmitted to a monitoring station and nearby communities. In order to prevent the animals from entering the city without killing them, the city is working with the manufacturer of security systems on deterrent strategies.
