FEATURE: Japanese prefecture uses microchips to track bears and guide culling

OSAKA - A prefecture in western Japan is drawing attention for a unique bear management program that uses microchips implanted in captured animals to estimate population levels and guide culling decisions, as rising sightings across the country fuel calls for more effective countermeasures.

Hyogo Prefecture says it is the first in Japan to use information gathered from microchipped bears to determine an appropriate population size and maintain a balance between conservation and population control.