“Monster Wolf” is an animatoronic scarecrow with flashing red eyes that howls and growls menacingly to scare away wild animals.<\/p>\n
Ohta Seiki, the Hokkaido-based firm that makes the devices, has already received around 50 orders this year, more than the usual volume for an entire year.<\/p>\n
“We make them by hand. We cannot make them fast enough now. We are asking our customers to wait two to three months,” company president Yuji Ohta told AFP.<\/p>\n
“Awareness of bear safety and measures against wildlife damage (on farm products) improved. There was also a growing recognition that our product is effective in dealing with bears,” Ohta said.<\/p>\n
Orders come mostly from farmers, operators of golf courses and people working outside in rural areas such as in construction.<\/p>\n
Bears killed 13 people across Japan in 2025-2026, more than twice the previous high.<\/p>\n
More than 50,000 bear sightings were recorded nationwide, more than double the previous record set two years before, according to official data.<\/p>\n
The animals were seen entering homes, roaming near schools and rampaging through supermarkets and hot spring resorts on an almost daily basis.<\/p>\n
The number of bears captured and then culled nearly tripled from a year earlier to 14,601, also marking an all-time high.<\/p>\n
Some northern regions also reported in April more than four times as many sightings as last year as the animals emerge from hibernation, local media said.<\/p>\n
“Monster Wolf” features artificial fur draped over an assembled pipe frame, attached to speakers, topped with a menacing, open-mouthed face.<\/p>\n
For prices starting from around $4,000 or higher, the system comes with a battery, solar panels, sensors, speakers and other apparatus.<\/p>\n
It broadcasts more than 50 kinds of recorded sounds, including human voices and electronic noises, audible up to one kilometre away.<\/p>\n
The device turns its head from side to side, flashes red LED eyes, while its tail is equipped with blue LEDs.<\/p>\n
Ohta introduced the product in 2016 to prevent damage to agricultural products by deer, boars and bears, and it was initially derided as a gimmick.<\/p>\n
The company is now upgrading the device by putting it on wheels to chase animals or patrol specific paths.<\/p>\n
Ohta also plans to develop a hand-held version for hikers, anglers and schoolchildren, while also exploring artificial intelligence cameras for future models.<\/p>\n
“We wanted to apply our manufacturing to do our part to deal with bears,” he said.<\/p>\n
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