Japan’s newest bear deterrent looks like it escaped from a haunted robotics lab.
Across rural Japan, farmers and landowners are installing “Monster Wolf” robots, animatronic scarecrows designed to scare bears away with flashing red eyes, sudden movement, and a rotating mix of threatening sounds. Demand is rising as Japan faces a record wave of bear encounters, including 13 deaths during the 2025–2026 season, according to AFP.
The robots can emit more than 50 different sounds, including growls, howls, electronic noises, and human voices that can reportedly be heard up to a kilometre away.
“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. The devices, which start at roughly $4,000, are powered by solar panels and use motion sensors to activate automatically when animals approach.
Bear attacks reach alarming levels
The spike in demand comes as Japan grapples with an unprecedented wave of bear encounters.
According to AFP, bears killed 13 people nationwide during the 2025–2026 season, more than double the previous record. More than 50,000 bear sightings were also reported across the country, setting another all-time high.
Authorities said the animals have been spotted near schools, inside residential neighbourhoods, around golf courses and even in supermarkets and hot spring resorts. The number of captured and culled bears nearly tripled year-over-year to 14,601, AFP reported.
Scientists and local officials have linked the rise in encounters to several factors, including growing bear populations, poor food harvests in the wild, and climate-related disruptions to hibernation cycles. Some experts also pointed to rural depopulation, which has allowed wildlife to move deeper into areas once dominated by humans.
“These conditions created an area overcrowded with hungry bears,” USA TODAY reported while describing the recent rise in attacks.
From gimmick to essential tool
Ohta first introduced the Monster Wolf in 2016 to protect crops from deer, boars, and bears. At the time, many reportedly dismissed the invention as little more than a novelty. Now, orders are pouring in from farmers, golf course operators, and construction workers in rural areas.
“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 told AFP. The company has already received around 50 orders in 2026 alone, more than it would normally expect over an entire year.
Wheels, handheld models, and AI upgrades
Ohta Seiki is now working on upgraded versions of the machine that can patrol routes or actively chase animals away using wheels. The company is also developing smaller handheld versions aimed at hikers, anglers, and schoolchildren.
“We wanted to apply our manufacturing to do our part to deal with bears,” Ohta said. Future models could also include AI-powered cameras that automatically detect wildlife before triggering deterrent systems.
Also read: For more on how robotics is reshaping life across Asia, read eWeek’s report on China’s growing military robotics ambitions.