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Hokkaido's High-Tech Bear Disposal Solution
28 Dec
Summary
- Hokkaido town uses a 100 million yen microbial unit for bear carcass decomposition.
- The unit processes entire bear carcasses into water and carbon dioxide within a week.
- This innovation eases the immense physical labor for hunters dealing with bear surges.
In response to a surge in bear attacks, the town of Fukushima in Hokkaido, Japan, has implemented an advanced disposal unit. This 100 million yen facility uses microorganisms and carbonized wood chips to decompose large animal carcasses, primarily brown bears weighing up to 200 kilograms.
The stainless steel unit, installed in April 2024, grinds carcasses and processes them at approximately 80°C. Organs and muscles decompose in one day, while skin and bones break down within a week, yielding mainly water and carbon dioxide. In its first eight months, the unit processed 88 bear carcasses from Fukushima and surrounding areas.
This technology has greatly eased the physical strain on hunters, who previously spent hours dismembering bears into smaller pieces for disposal. The unit, originally developed for invasive species like deer and wild boar, has drawn interest from other regions facing similar wildlife challenges, offering an environmentally conscious solution.
