Surveillance camera captures horrific moment 82-year-old woman is attacked by bear: ‘It was horrific’

An 82-year-old woman has survived a bear attack in northern Japan, the latest in a series of such incidents across the country.

What happened?

The horrific attack was captured on a security camera in the town of Oyama in northern Japan’s Akita Prefecture in early October.

The video, shared on TikTok by CNA (@channelnewsasia), shows a bear running up behind the woman, jumping over her and scratching her face. Understandably, the woman screamed in terror and tried to run away, but the bear chased her again.

Fortunately, a car pulled up and the woman was able to get in before she was seriously injured. She was taken to the hospital with scratches on her face, CNA reported.

“This could have ended in such a horrible way,” one TikTok commenter wrote. “This is a street where people drive and that’s a good thing.”

Central News Agency also reported that this is at least the third bear attack in Japan in just a few days.

Why are bear attacks concerning?

Seven people have died from bear attacks in Japan this year, Phys.org reports, the highest number since officials began tracking nearly 20 years ago. Since April, at least 108 people have been injured in such attacks across the country.

Sadly, encounters like this are becoming increasingly common around the world.

Another video shows a bear attacking a Florida homeowner in his front yard, and a Canadian man and his wife required surgery after they were attacked by two grizzly bears along the Kootenay River.

The exact cause of each attack is difficult to determine, but in general, experts believe the increase in animal attacks is due to a number of human factors.

Urban sprawl and development force wildlife out of their natural habitats and into unfamiliar places, such as neighborhoods. At the same time, heat-trapping pollution is causing global temperatures to rise, exacerbating extreme weather events such as droughts.

This results in changes to many animals’ habitats and food supplies, all of which can leave wildlife scared, vulnerable, and ready to lash out.

What measures can be taken to stay safe?

The National Park Service offers some tips on how to stay safe around bears. First, and not surprisingly, be aware of your surroundings and keep your distance as much as possible.

Knowing the type of bear you encounter is crucial to preventing an animal from attacking.

If a black bear attacks you, NPS urges you to fight back by any means possible. However, if it’s a grizzly or brown bear, the agency recommends covering the head and neck with your arms and playing dead.

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