Bear in Japan keeps breaking into homes for cookies, donuts, and other sweets

A bear in rural Japan appears to have developed a taste for the dessert aisle, but residents said it didn't stop at just one snack run.

In one Iwate town, the animal reportedly broke into many homes and even a confectionery, targeting cookies, donuts, sugar, and other sweet foods.

What's happening?

In Shizukuishi, within the Iwate Prefecture, a string of bear break-ins hit at least 10 homes over the period of about a week, SoraNews24 reported.

Kiyoshi Yamauchi, a Shizukuishi resident and associate agriculture professor at Iwate University, said the bear came into his house at least five times. Yamauchi told the outlet that the bear first ate pickles and cat food but later seemed to zero in on sweeter snacks such as vanilla cream sandwich cookies and karinto, which is a sugary and deep-fried snack food.

Another resident, Yuta Matsubara, recorded a video as he tried to scare the bear away after it returned to his property. The animal reportedly broke into a wagashi workshop, opened a refrigerator, and ate donuts.

Even locked doors haven't always kept the animal out. According to SoraNews24, after some residents had already secured their homes, the bear broke through glass or otherwise forced entry. 

In another case, it reportedly entered the home of Matsubara's elderly relative twice in a single day, reaching the kitchen and tearing into sugar and flour.

Local officials have told residents to remain cautious and report bear sightings, per SoraNews24. The town also set tube-like bear traps around the area and, in some instances, inside homes the animal has already entered.

Why does it matter?

Across Japan, residents are increasingly concerned that bears are finding homes to be reliable sources of food. This can make them become bolder, more destructive, and more dangerous.

The bears that find food during their break-ins may continue returning to the homes instead of foraging normally. The higher number of bear-human interactions in the country are putting both people and animals at risk.

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