Tokushima Firm Develops Bear Repellent Spray

Anan, Tokushima Pref., Nov. 4 (Jiji Press)–As the number of fatalities from bear attacks in Japan rises to a record high this fiscal year, a company, based in Anan, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, has developed a bear repellent spray in the hope of allowing humans and bears to coexist. The repellent was developed by Yo Okutani, planning and marketing chief at the Tokyo office of Biosiense Co., which produces drugs for animals. As most bear repellent sprays sold in Japan are made overseas, domestically produced ones are rare. Okutani, 40, became interested in dealing with the growing problem of bear attacks on humans as he enjoys outdoor activities and then decided to develop a bear repellent spray by applying know-how acquired from making Biosiense’s hot pepper products. He read books to deepen his understanding of the ecology of bears, and repeatedly made prototypes of sprays that included capsaicin, a pungent component included in hot peppers. Okutani conducted joint research with a university. A test showed that the spray had an effect equivalent to ready-made products, as brown bears sprayed with the repellent ran away, wiping their face as they developed a runny nose. After around three years of research and development, Biosiense started selling the product, named “Kumaichimokusan” (bears skedaddling), at do-it-yourself stores and outdoor equipment stores as well as online in May. The sprays are selling well. “We’ve received orders for most of the sprays that we’ve produced,” Okutani said. While many overseas-made sprays cost from 10,000 yen to more than 20,000 yen each, Kumaichimokusan costs 9,900 yen with tax, or 14,080 yen with a spray holder. A practice spray is sold at 3,850 yen. Kumaichimokusan has a maximum spray distance of 10 meters. If a bear is running toward you, you should stand where you have the wind at your back and “spray a big S shape as if creating a smoke screen,” Okutani said. If the bear is approaching you slowly, it would be effective to spray at its face while keeping a distance of about 5 meters, he said. The spray was created not just to repel bears but to drive them to the mountains so that they can coexist with humans. Okutani said he hopes the spray will serve as a “tool that enables humans and bears to keep at an appropriate distance.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]