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Public Perceptions Of Bears And Management Interventions In Japan, Ryo Sakurai, Susan K. Jacobson

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Conservation of bears is a challenge globally. In Japan, Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) and brown bears (Ursus arctos) are considered a nuisance because of agricultural and property damage and personal human danger due to occasional human casualties. Reduction of human–bear conflicts in Japan would improve long-term conservation of bears and reduce risks to human health and safety. To understand Japanese perceptions of and experience with bears, we analyzed results of 5 public surveys and reviewed 29 articles from the research and gray literature in Japan. We compared recommendations for interventions to reduce human–bear conflicts with …