Four calves were found dead Tuesday morning at a ranch in Hokkaido, northern Japan, with local authorities suspecting a brown bear attack due to the discovery of what appears to be bear paw prints in the vicinity.
An additional four calves were found injured at the ranch in the Nakashumbetsu district of Betsukai town, with police urging caution in the area. Concern that the bear may return to the site has prompted local officials to set up traps.
According to the police, a total of 12 calves were being kept in individual cages at the specialized ranch, which raises calves entrusted from nearby farms.
The bodies of three calves were found outside their cages after being dragged out, while one was found inside its cage. Another four, still in their cages, were injured.
The ranch said it had last accounted for all 12 calves at around 4:30 p.m. the previous day.
Last July, authorities put down a brown bear codenamed "OSO18," which had attacked 66 cows in the eastern Hokkaido area since 2019. Unlike the recent incident, OSO18 had been eating the cows it preyed upon.
