A hiker in Japan was found dead on Friday after a brown bear reportedly attacked and dragged him into the bushes.
A man, presumed to be in his 20s, was walking ahead of his companion on a Mount Rausu trail in Hokkaido, Japan, last Thursday when a brown bear attacked him, as reported by local outlet The Asahi Shimbun, citing police sources.
The following day, police initiated a search and discovered various items, including a blood-stained shirt, wallet, hat, and watch, scattered dozens of meters from the trail. Bloodstains were also observed on nearby trees and the ground, as noted by The Asahi Shimbun.
FILE PHOTO: By the end of the day on Thursday, more than 71 people were airlifted out of the area by helicopter. (iStock)
Hunters looking for the missing man shot and killed three brown bears on Friday near where his body was discovered, The Asahi Shimbun reported.
Sightings of brown bears have recently become more frequent at Mount Rausu, which is a natural habitat for the species.
Last month, a series of bear attacks across Japan led officials to conduct practice drills. Earlier this year, a bear attacked a man in his 70s near an elementary school in Nasushiobara City, according to Japan’s public media organization NHK.
Hokkaido Prefectural Police did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
