I. Background and legal structure on conservation and management of bears

Abstract

In order to achieve progress in wildlife conservation and management, we require people who can accurately perceive the relevant problems and who are familiar with the relevant legal and regulatory frameworks and capable of making realistic proposals individually tailored to each region. Here, we organize the background and problems related to conservation and management of bears (Ursus arctos and U. thibetanus) in Japan and the relevant legal structures. We followed features of the revised law in 2014. We also organized the current situation regarding the formulation of Specified Wildlife Conservation and Management Plans (SWCMP) of the bears. After the mass intrusions of the 2000s, the number of SWCMP has increased significantly, with a particular increase in the number of plans formulated in the east of Japan. Until in the 2000s, the main focus of bear conservation and management has been the endangered populations in the west of Japan; however, currently in both eastern and western Japan, the objective is to simultaneously reduce the damage to the population and maintain its population.