Japan's Ohta Seiki company has seen a surge in demand for its "Monster Wolf" robot wolves as the country faces record bear attacks.
According to the Independent, company director Yuji Ota said about 50 orders for the Monster Wolf have been placed since the start of the year, compared to the usual annual sales volume.
The increased interest in the robot wolf coincides with a rise in wild bear attacks. In 2025-2026, 13 fatal bear attacks were recorded in Japan. Additionally, reports of dangerous animal sightings exceeded 50,000, double the previous record.
Bears are regularly spotted near homes, schools, shops, and hot springs. Authorities have significantly increased bear hunting, with over 14,600 bears killed this year, nearly three times more than the previous year.
The Monster Wolf is an automatic scarer device with a predator appearance. It features artificial fur, red glowing eyes, motion sensors, and speakers emitting about 50 different sounds, audible up to one kilometer away.
Originally developed in 2016 to protect agricultural fields from deer, boars, and bears, the Monster Wolf was once seen as an unusual experiment. Now, its main customers are farmers, golf club owners, and rural residents.
