Japanese maker Ohta Seiki has seen its hand‑crafted “Monster Wolf” animatronic surge in demand after a spate of bear attacks. President Yuji Ohta told AFP the firm has already logged about 50 orders this year, a volume normally spread over an entire year, and now asks customers to wait two to three months.

That demand follows a record 13 fatal bear attacks recorded in the 2025‑2026 season, more than double the previous high, and over 50,000 sightings nationwide. Bears have been breaking into homes, schools and hot‑spring resorts, prompting authorities to cull 14,601 animals—an all‑time peak over the past month.

The Monster Wolf is a motion‑activated scarecrow built on a pipe frame, covered in artificial fur, with flashing red LEDs, a snarling mouth and a tail tipped with blue lights. It emits roughly 50 recorded sounds up to a kilometre away and swivels its head to mimic a prowling predator. A base model costs £3,000, including battery, solar panels and sensors.

Ohta plans to mount wheels so the robot can patrol set routes or chase intruders, and a handheld version aims at hikers, anglers and schoolchildren. He also mentioned exploring AI‑enabled cameras for future iterations. With farmers, golf courses and construction crews already buying units, the device illustrates how low‑tech robotics can address wildlife‑human conflict in real time.