Iwate University Case Study

DeterCam cameras have been deployed at several field locations in collaboration with Iwate University and Associate Professor Yamauchi, a researcher specialising in Asian black bears, to monitor and deter bears and evaluate the system under real-world wildlife conditions.

Asian black bears are increasingly observed in areas close to agricultural land and human activity in the Tohoku region. There is a need to explore non-lethal and non-contact technologies that can detect bears and potentially influence their behavior before they enter areas where conflicts may occur.

DeterCam units have been deployed across three sites in Morioka City and Hanamaki City to monitor and deter Asian black bears. The locations were selected in collaboration with Iwate University, drawing on its expertise in bear behaviour and movement patterns to focus on areas with a higher likelihood of bear activity.

The field trial aims to evaluate DeterCam’s ability to detect Asian black bears and collect data on their behavioral responses to automated deterrence stimuli under real-world conditions.

Based on field observations and discussions with Iwate University, the deployment configuration was reviewed, and several DeterCam cameras have been relocated and optimized to improve the likelihood of detecting bear activity. The project remains ongoing, and data collection will continue at the optimized locations

The DeterCam cameras are scheduled to remain in operation until early December. As Asian black bears typically become more active in preparation for hibernation, the project will continue monitoring the sites with the expectation of capturing detection and deterrence events during this period.

If a sufficient number of detection and deterrence events are recorded, it is expected that Iwate University will analyze the collected data and prepare a report based on the findings.