Bear Mauls 9 in Grisly Rampage

A bear which viciously mauled 9 people in an unprovoked attack on mountainside resort has itself been gunned down.

The beast invaded a mountainside lodge in the backwater prefecture of Tochigi packed with dozens of tourists; encountering several tourists near the lodge, it began attacking and chasing them, throwing one to the ground and maiming a man who came to his aid horribly with bites to his face.

The only defence visitors and staff could muster was throwing rocks and making loud noises at the bear, which only served to utterly enrage it.

Soon the alarm was raised and patrons fled into the lodge and attempted to lock it out, but the bear chased after them and slipped in before they could shut it out; it then began attacking them in the building, raking them with claw and fang, and causing a hysterical stampede out of the building.

Eventually the facility was evacuated completely, patrons by bus and wounded by helicopter; 9 people received injuries in connection with the incident, the worst having their faces badly bitten or their bodies terribly clawed.

Hunters shot the bear, still loitering about the lodge, some three hours after its rampage began; it was a male Asian Black Bear of but 90kg.

Bear encounters are said to be growing in Japan’s increasingly depopulated rural areas, with a lack of stewardship or access to firearms doing little to reassure visitors to the wilder areas. People encountering rampaging bears are advised to try scaring them off with a small bell.

Via the Gifu Shimbun.