Japanese Town Installs Red-Eyed Robot Wolf to Scare Off Bears

Monster Wolf

A town in Japan has installed several terrifying robot wolves that can move and give off blood-curdling howls in an attempt to prevent bear attacks, The Guardian reports.

The town of Takikawa got two of the "Monster Wolf" robots after bears were spotted in the surrounding neighborhoods in September, according to the newspaper.

There's been an increase in bear sightings in rural areas in the country, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK News. Dozens of attacks, two of which were fatal, prompted officials to install the two faux wolves.

https://twitter.com/nhk_news/status/1318076693597343746

Howling Scarecrow

The robots feature four "legs," a fur-coated body, and glowing red eyes. Their motion detectors can alert them of any bears nearby, triggering one of 60 different sounds. The robot maker behind the wolves has sold 70 units of them already in just about two years, The Guardian reports.

In 2018, farms near Kisarazu City in Japan also installed "Super Monster Wolf" robots in an attempt to stop animals from eating crops.

"I hope it will help create an environment where people and bears can coexist," Yuji Ota, president of the robot maker, told NHK last month.

READ MORE: Japanese town deploys Monster Wolf robots to deter bears [The Guardian]

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