In Japan, a car owner accidentally hit a wild bear while driving, resulting in severe damage to the car that needed to be repaired. Surprisingly, the bear was able to get up and walk away seemingly unharmed, leaving netizens impressed by its toughness.
According to reports from Fuji News Network, the accident occurred on May 4th in Nanakuta Town, Miyagi Prefecture. As the car was traveling on a highway, a bear suddenly ran onto the road. Due to a blind spot in the driver’s line of sight, the man was unable to evade the bear in time, resulting in a direct collision.
The car’s dashcam recorded the moment of impact with the bear. The footage shows the force of the impact causing car parts to detach and fly out, triggering alarm sounds. However, the bear managed to stand up on its own and return to the forest afterward.
The driver stated that the bear was approximately 1 meter in length and appeared to have emerged from his blind spot. Before the car hit it, the driver saw a black object moving.
The accident caused significant damage to the car, with cracks appearing on the front upon inspection. After attempting to drive a short distance, the car became immobile, indicating the severity of the impact.
Subsequently, the driver had to send the car for repairs, incurring a repair cost of up to 500,000 Japanese Yen (approximately $3,200).
Netizens commented on the incident, with some marveling at the bear’s ability to walk away after being hit at such a high speed, suggesting its resilience. There were also remarks that even with fractures, bears may not necessarily die.
Occurrences of wild bear sightings like this are common in various parts of Japan, some of which may result in human injuries.
Data released by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment showed a rise in incidents of Asian black bear sightings from April to October 2023, reaching the highest level since 2009. By the end of November 2023, there had been a total of 193 cases of bear attacks on humans, affecting up to 212 individuals.
In a previous report, in July 16, 2020, an 82-year-old woman in Hiroshima Prefecture was attacked by a black bear in her backyard. She fought back, managing to “send it flying” and even land a few punches, eventually causing the bear to flee with its tail between its legs.