Abstract 216 – Human dimensions influencing brown bear attractant securing behavior in suburban kitchen gardens in Sapporo, Japan

Taiki Ito and Tohru Ikeda

In Hokkaido, northern Japan, brown bears are appearing in urban areas and causing human-
bear conflicts. One reason for bears to appear in human settlements is their attraction to
anthropogenic food sources. Therefore, reducing bear access to anthropogenic food sources,
especially kitchen gardens (KGs) is essential for effective urban bear management. However,
the adoption of preventive measures, such as the use of electric fences, may be hindered by
social and psychological factors among residents. This study explores the factors influencing the
use of electric fencing through interview and questionnaire surveys conducted in KGs in
Sapporo, Japan, which was selected as the study area due to the high incidence of human-bear
interactions in its suburban regions. First, semi-structured interviews were conducted with KG
owners to explore the factors influencing their decision to use or not to use electric fencing.
The results highlighted many factors that led to non-use of electric fences, including cost
considerations, the need for significant labor and concerns about the dangers posed by electric
fencing. This was followed by direct observations to determine the prevalence of electric
fencing in the KGs, which revealed that electric fencing was consistently used in 20.0% of the
KGs observed. Finally, a questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the social and
psychological factors influencing the use of electric fencing in KGs. Our results showed a lower
incidence of crop raiding by bears in the study area; however, many participants expressed
concerns regarding potential crop raiding and bear encounters. Furthermore, negative attitudes
toward electric fencing (cost, labor, danger of electric fences) can discourage and risk
perceptions of bear can encourage the use of electric fences. Focusing on social and
psychological factors may promote the introduction of electric fences in KGs to decrease
human-brown bear conflicts around urban area in Sapporo city.