NEMURO, Hokkaido -- More than 200 footprints of a huge brown bear were spotted in the downtown area of this northern Japan city on June 25.
The hind foot is more than 18 centimeters wide, and is believed to be of a giant male. The Nemuro Municipal Government has warned residents to take caution when using the community wireless system.
The footprints were found at the former site of the municipal Hakuryo Junior High School about 2 kilometers southwest of JR Nemuro Station. They dotted the playground and disappeared into the sloped grassland between the former school site and an adjacent athletic park. Two steel posts that had supported rope at the site were found to have been pulled out. The brown bear was thought to have appeared between late on June 24 and early the following morning.
A 74 year old nearby resident commented, It's very rare for a bear to appear in a downtown area. This is scary.