A robot called "Monster Wolf" is installed in an effort to scare away bears in Takikawa on Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido, on October 21, 2020. KYODO / REUTERS

A Japanese company making ferocious-looking robot wolves is being swamped by orders after record numbers of fatal bear attacks on humans last year.

"Monster Wolf" is an animatronic scarecrow with flashing red eyes that howls and growls menacingly to scare away wild animals.

Ohta Seiki, the Hokkaido-based firm that makes the devices, has already received around 50 orders in 2026, more than they usually see in an entire year.

"We make them by hand. We cannot make them fast enough now. We are asking our customers to wait two to three months," company president Yuji Ohta told AFP.

"Awareness of bear safety and measures against wildlife damage (on farm products) improved. There was also a growing recognition that our product is effective in dealing with bears," Ohta said.

Orders come mostly from farmers, operators of golf courses and people working outside in rural areas.

Bears killed 13 people across Japan in 2025-2026, more than twice the previous high. More than 200 people were also injured. Last week, Japan confirmed the first fatal bear attack of 2026 and two other suspected fatal attacks.

More than 50,000 bear sightings were recorded nationwide, more than double the previous record set two years before, according to official data.

The animals were seen on airport runways, walking on golf courses, roaming near schools and causing panic in supermarkets and hot spring resorts almost on a daily basis.

The number of bears captured and then culled nearly tripled from a year earlier to 14,601, also marking an all-time high.

Some northern regions also reported in April more than four times as many sightings as last year as the animals emerge from hibernation, local media said. Scientists say the surge in attacks has been driven by fast-growing numbers of bears, combined with a falling human population, especially in rural areas.

That depopulation has left bears "a chance to expand their range," biologist Koji Yamazaki, from Tokyo University of Agriculture, told CBS News' Elizabeth Palmer in 2023.

Menacing wolf with red LED eyes
"Monster Wolf" features artificial fur draped over an assembled pipe frame, attached to speakers, topped with a menacing, open-mouthed face.

For prices starting from around $4,000 or higher, the system comes with a battery, solar panels, sensors, speakers and other apparatus.

It broadcasts more than 50 kinds of recorded sounds, including human voices and electronic noises, audible up to one kilometer away. (See video of the robot).

The device turns its head from side to side, flashes red LED eyes, while its tail is equipped with blue LEDs.

Ohta introduced the product in 2016 to prevent damage to agricultural products by deer, boars and bears, and it was initially derided as a gimmick.

The company is now upgrading the device by putting it on wheels to chase animals or patrol specific paths.

Ohta also plans to develop a hand-held version for hikers, anglers and schoolchildren, while also exploring artificial intelligence cameras for future models.

"We wanted to apply our manufacturing to do our part to deal with bears," he said.

Source