Record number of fatal attacks Robots in wolf's clothing scare off bears in Japan
With glowing eyes and bloodcurdling howls, robot wolves chase Japan's bears to flight. The high-tech creatures are protecting more and more people from dangerous encounters with the predators.
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- A Japanese company is selling robot wolves that drive bears away with sounds and glaring LED eyes.
- Farmers and workers use them to protect fields and rural areas from the increasingly aggressive wild animals.
- Because bears are increasingly invading cities and residential areas, the manufacturer is already developing new mobile versions of the robot.
Glowing eyes, scary teeth and shaggy fur - this creature is not a predator, but a robot disguised as a wolf designed to scare off the bears that are spreading across Japan. The "monster wolf" from the Japanese company Ohta Seiki is not only a deterrent because of its appearance, it also howls and howls. According to the company, the number of orders has risen to a new record high.
According to the Hokkaido-based company, around 50 of the wolf robots have been ordered since the beginning of the year - more than in an entire year to date. "We make them by hand. We can't produce them fast enough now," says company boss Yuji Ohta. Customers would therefore have to wait two to three months for delivery.
Robot imitates human voices
The price of around 3100 francs includes batteries, solar cells, sensors and speakers. The robot can emit more than 50 different sounds, including human voices and electronic noises that can be heard up to a kilometer away. The eyes are fitted with red LED lights, the tail with blue ones.
Most orders come from farmers, golf course operators and people who work outdoors in rural areas. In the 2025/2026 fiscal year, the number of people killed by bears in Japan rose to 13 - double the previous record. According to official figures, the number of bear sightings nationwide also reached a new high of more than 50,000. The previous record two years ago was not even half as many.
The roaming bears are moving further and further into human settlements. They have already caused a stir in supermarkets, near schools or at hot springs popular with tourists. As a result, the number of bears captured and subsequently killed recently tripled to 14,601 in one year.
Ohta presented his robot wolf in 2016. Although the device was initially often seen as a gimmick, it has now established itself on the market. The company is now working on a version on wheels to patrol predefined routes.
