Overview
- Ohta Seiki, which makes the animatronic Monster Wolf, said Wednesday it has about 50 orders this year and is asking buyers to wait two to three months.
- Official data for 2025–2026 report 13 deaths, over 50,000 bear sightings nationwide, and a record 14,601 animals captured and culled.
- The Monster Wolf is a solar-powered, motion-triggered decoy with glowing red eyes, a swiveling head, and speakers that blast more than 50 recorded sounds, with base units costing about $4,000.
- To meet new use cases, the company is developing wheeled models that can patrol or chase animals and is exploring a handheld version and AI camera integration.
- Orders are coming from farmers, golf courses, and outdoor workers as bears roam near homes and schools, with some northern regions saying April sightings were roughly four times last year’s pace.