Overview

• The victim, a man in his 40s, was attacked around 8 p.m. on Sept. 26 while walking his dog in Heiwa Kyuryō Park and suffered a non–life-threatening injury to his right arm.
• He told responders he saw two bears in the park, and about an hour later a roughly 1 to 1.5 meter bear was spotted heading into nearby mountains about 400 meters west.
• Hokkaido initially issued a bear notice for six Sapporo wards and then upgraded Nishi‑ku to a warning after confirming the injury.
• Police, city staff, and hunters began a search in the surrounding forest on the morning of Sept. 27 and increased patrols, and the city closed the park.
• Authorities urged residents to avoid going out at night or early morning and to secure garbage and crops to reduce attractants.