Black bear on airport runway leads to flight delays in Japan
Japanese authorities at an airport were locked in a “stalemate” with a black bear that was found to be roaming on the runway. Air traffic controllers were forced to cancel a dozen flights despite attempts to chase the animal off.
The bear was first seen at northern Yamagata airport in the early hours of Thursday 26th June and officials acted swiftly to shut operations down, causing delays. Just before midnight, it reappeared on the runway, leading to more delays.
Footage showed an airport car trying to chase the black bear away, flashing its blue emergency lights. The bear ran off quickly but was believed to still be at large somewhere in the airport.
“Given the situation there is no way we can host plane arrivals now,” Yamagata airport official Akira Nagai told Agence France-Presse. The closure led to 12 flight cancellations.
Hunters were called in to trap the animal and police were positioned around the airport to prevent it from escaping. “We’re in a stalemate now,” Nagai said.
Human interactions with bears in Japan are at record levels. In the 12 months leading to April 2024, there were 219 people reportedly attacked and six killed. Last month, a bear was spotted at a golf course in central Japan, leading to a tournament having to end early.
With climate change affecting food sources and hibernation, as well as human depopulation due to Japan’s aging society, more and more bears in Japan are appearing in urban areas, according to scientists.
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