Bears with various meanings recounted in the narratives of local residents

Interviews at Tajima region of Hyogo prefecture

Abstract

We interviewed local residents and stakeholders at Tajima region of Hyogo prefecture to understand the relationship between people and bears. While many people explained bears as fierce animal, they admitted that the change of people’s lifestyle caused human-bear conflicts. Some residents portrayed bears as neighbors that exist in their daily lives and appear at certain time, every year. In some areas, people were used to having agricultural damage by bears that they were reluctant to take any interventions. It is important that local residents collaborate to engage in damage prevention activities to mitigate the conflicts.