Japan has a bear problem, and the robot wolf designed to fix it can’t be made fast enough. Japan’s $4,000 Monster Wolf, a solar-powered, sensor-equipped animatronic predator with LED red eyes, menacing fangs, and a speaker loaded with more than 50 audio clips, has been on the market since 2016. It was originally created to scare boars, deer, and bears away from farms, but exploding demand means manufacturer Ohta is now backed up by two to three months. “We make them by hand. We cannot make them fast enough now,” company president Yuji Ohta told the AFP.
Bear attacks in Japan have been on a steep climb for years, with more than 200 injuries and 13 deaths recorded since the start of 2025, more than double any previous mortality record; Japan deployed its military to help cull bears last year, with more than 14,600 killed. Upgraded versions of Monster Wolf now in development will add wheels to let the robot actively chase animals and patrol set routes, along with a handheld version for hikers and schoolchildren.
Source: Popsci
