After Years of Attempts, Hunters Finally Get Japan’s “Ninja Bear”

Japan has bears! If you didn’t know that, a recent news story may shed some light on why. Bears in Japan can be extremely elusive and, sometimes, even earn their own nicknames. Only a few days ago, the infamous “Ninja Bear” in Japan was finally caught! Let’s learn about this strange bear, how it got its nickname, and more about bears in Japan.

The Infamous “Ninja Bear” of Japan

Japan is home to many wild and strange animals, but few have captured the public more than a notorious brown bear nicknamed the “Ninja Bear.” As its name suggests, this elusive bear has been terrorizing the farmers of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, for years.

On record, it has attacked at least 66 cows, killing half of them. The strange part? Half of the time the bear wouldn’t eat them, almost as a version of a trophy. Since 2019, it has been evading traps and hunters alike, a feat that has earned it the famous moniker. Despite its name, the chase was bound to end, one way or another. Officially, the bear was named OSO18, part of the naming and tracking system used for bears in Hokkaido.

After nearly five years of trying, the hunters finally got their prey. On July 30, 2023, they shot and killed the bear, ending its reign of bovine terror (to the relief of cows everywhere). To confirm that this was, in fact, the Ninja Bear in the flesh, the hunters confirmed it through DNA testing. When the results came in, it was revealed: the behemoth had fallen.

“A brown bear was hunted on July 30, and various analyses, including DNA testing, resulted in a confirmation that it was OSO18. I am sure local residents are relieved to hear this news.”

Tadayoshi Takeda – An official with the Hokkaido regional government

Why Did The Bear Have to Die?

As sad as it is, killing the Ninja Bear was probably the best and safest thing. Killing animals isn’t something done lightly, but occasionally, it needs to be done when certain criteria are met.

The most common reason for animals to be intentionally hunted is when they pose a serious threat to human lives and livelihoods. When that happens, they have to be killed to prevent further harm. The Ninja Bear was a legend, but clearly, it was dangerous. Over only a few years, it had attacked dozens of cows, meaning it was already comfortable killing livestock on human territory. The bear had crossed the threshold of being a nuisance and became a danger, especially as it showed no signs of stopping or avoiding humans.

Is Ninja Bear dead? Sure, maybe physically. Still, the legend of Ninja Bear will surely live on. Parents in Hokkaido may have a new story to tell their kids to keep them in bed!

Nothing To Waste

After the hunters killed Ninja Bear, however, nothing was wasted! In fact, after it was processed at Uma Kiba in Shiranuka Town, it was served to customers in a miso stew dish on August 18th, only a few weeks after. When the customers heard what they were eating, they were a bit surprised, although they had heard of Ninja Bear:

“There is no wedge, it is tender and delicious, and I was surprised to hear that it was OSO18 meat.”

News – Yahoo

Bear meat is a luxury food that is only really eaten for certain reasons, with Ninja Bear being killed counting as one of them. Currently, only 5-6 bears a year are allowed to be harvested for food, making Ninja Bear quite a specialty.

What Kinds of Bears Live in Japan?

While Ninja Bear was a famous phenomenon, bears in Japan are actually well-documented and have played a key ecological role for millions of years. Only two types of bears inhabit Japan: the Japanese black bear and the Ussuri brown bear.

The Japanese black bear is a subspecies of the Asian black bear that lives on the islands of Honshu and Shikoku. It has black fur, round ears, and a white patch on its chest, whereas the American black bear usually has no markings. It is smaller than most other bears, weighing between 40 to 120 kilograms. They are primarily herbivorous, but they can easily hunt other animals like deer and boar. Currently, estimates show that there are about 10,000 black bears in Japan, but their population is threatened by habitat loss, hunting, and poaching.

The other species of bear in Japan is the Ussuri brown bear, a subspecies of the brown bear that lives on the island of Hokkaido and the nearby Russian Far East. It has brown fur, a hump on its back, and a large head, very similar to the grizzly bears in North America. It is one of the largest bears in the world, weighing up to 550 kilograms. Like their North American cousins, they are omnivorous, eating plants, fish, insects, and mammals. They are also well known for scavenging human garbage and even killing livestock (like Ninja Bear). It is estimated that there are about 3,000 brown bears in Japan, but their population is also heavily impacted by the same factors.