Japan expands bear-culling powers amid urban incidents and data gaps

Japan is rolling out new culling targets and emergency shooting powers as it responds to urban incidents. A 17-year study of female Asiatic black bears adds evidence that repeated mass captures can reduce the share of older, reproductively central females even when estimated population size changes little; experts also cite weak population data and a shortage of trained specialists. Hyogo’s long-term monitoring offers a more evidence-led example, but policy effects and whether monitoring and staffing improve remain unresolved.