Japanese Howling ‘Monster Wolf’ Robots

A wolf robot that can roar and flash its eyes red to scare off brown bears entering populated areas has been introduced in this city in Japan’s northernmost prefecture after a steep rise in sightings of the animals in residential parts of the city.

The “monster wolf” developed by a firm in the Hokkaido town of Naie and others was installed by the Takikawa Municipal Government in September in a bid to “avoid friction between residents and bears.” The initiative marks the first time for the mechanical wolf to be deployed in front of general housing, and since its arrival on the scene, there have been no eyewitness reports of bears. An individual connected to its installation said reassuringly, “At the very least it’s effective in making residents feel at ease.”