A wild brown bear attacked and dragged a young hiker into a forest in northern Japan, leaving him missing a day later, police and local media reported Friday.
The victim, a man in his 20s, was walking a trail on Mount Rausu in Hokkaido on Thursday morning when the large bear struck. According to the Yomiuri daily, he tried to fight off the animal but was pulled into nearby woods, bleeding heavily from his legs.
Police said a wallet containing an identification card bearing his name was found near the attack site in northeastern Hokkaido. Search efforts were ongoing Friday.
A torn, bloodied shirt believed to be his was also found Friday, with nearby trees and soil dotted with traces of blood, Kyodo News reported, citing police.
Other items recovered included a watch, a hat and what appeared to be a canister of tear gas, Kyodo said.
The number of brown bears in Hokkaido fell year over year in 2023 for the first time since 1991, according to the latest estimates released this month.
There were about 11,600 bears at the end of 2023, down 500 from a year earlier. The Hokkaido government attributed the decline to unprecedented hunting, with a record 1,804 animals caught in the 12 months ending in March 2024.
