A bear went on a rampage at a supermarket in the northern Japanese city of Akita on Sunday. Having attacked an employee, the animal stayed in the store for two days before being arrested.
This is an increasingly common type of attack in Japan. On Sunday, December 1, a 1 meter long bear decided to infiltrate a supermarket in Akita, in the north of the country.
Attacking the butchery section where it remained for two days, the animal attacked a 47-year-old employee, slightly injuring him in the head, according to CNN.
Outside, police officers in protective gear and carrying shields surrounded the supermarket to secure the premises.
As of Sunday, authorities sent a drone inside the business to find him, public broadcaster NHK reported.
But it took forty-eight hours before the authorities managed to capture the bear.
He was then caught and euthanized, an Akita town hall spokesperson told CNN.
Animals forced to migrate to eat
Bear attacks are becoming a growing headache for the country, particularly in northern Japan. The mountain ranges and lush bushland provide an ideal habitat for these animals.
Japan is facing a growing number of bear attacks, with six human deaths, a record since the government's first data in 2006.
In addition, there are currently 9,097 of these animals killed, over a 12-month period up to last March, a record according to the Ministry of the Environment.
It is primarily climate change that is disrupting flowering and pollination schedules, changing the bears' traditional food sources. The latter are forced to venture into urban areas in search of food.
