How a Japanese prefecture is managing rising bear population with microchips

AI Summary

Hyogo prefecture in western Japan has implemented a bear management program using microchips implanted in captured bears to monitor population levels and guide culling decisions. This initiative aims to balance conservation efforts with population control amid rising bear sightings nationwide.

A prefecture in western Japan is drawing attention for a unique bear management programme that uses microchips implanted in captured animals to estimate population levels and guide culling decisions, as rising sightings across the country fuel calls for more effective countermeasures. Hyogo prefecture says it is the first in Japan to use information gathered from microchipped bears to determine an appropriate population size and maintain a balance between conservation and population control. The...