Japan culled 14,000+ bears after record attacks, plans to remove 8,800 more
Japan has culled over 14,000 bears following a record-breaking year of human-bear conflicts, with plans to remove thousands more. The surge in attacks is attributed to climate-related food shortages that have forced bears into human-populated areas.
Why it matters
This reflects the growing global challenge of human-wildlife coexistence as climate change disrupts natural ecosystems and animal migration patterns.
Japan killed more than 14,000 bears between April 2025 and January 2026 after record attacks on people; despite the cull, 6 people have been killed this year and the government plans to remove another 8,800 bearsAs Tokyo heats up, every year thousands in Japan head to Karuizawa in the Nagano prefecture. Located at the foot of Mount Asama, its bamboo-lined pathways and canopied forests make for the perfect tranquil escape. But along with humans even bears move to the area in search of food including mulberries, ants, leaves and cherry blossoms. Unlike most years, this time it has become a war, according to a report by The Guardian.Since the 1990s, Picchio, a small Japanese conservation and education group has been working to improve the coexistence between people and bears in the region.
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