Skip to content
  • catcHUp
  • Give
  • JA
    • President’s Message
    • HU Vision 2030
    • HU Global Vision 2040
    • 150th Anniversary
    • Hokkaido Universal Campus Initiative
    • Sustainability Declaration
    • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
    • aynu sisam urespa ukopirkare us i/Ainu and Indigenous Peoples
    • Philosophies
    • Campus
    • History
    • In Numbers
    • Awards
    • Honorary Degree Recipients
    • University Symbol
  • Sustainability
    • General Organization
    • Governing Organization
    • Administrative Organization
  • Institutes/Offices
    • University Library
    • University Museum
    • University Hospital
    • Veterinary Teaching Hospital
    • Health Care Center
    • Training Vessels
    • Experimental Forests and Farms
    • Aquatic Research Stations
    • Archaeological Research Center
    • University Archives
    • Event and Seminar Spaces
    • Gardens and Parks
    • Shops
    • Restaurants/Dining
  • Brochures
    • Public Relations Contact
    • Press Room
    • Social Media
    • E-Newsletter
    • Law
    • Fisheries Sciences
    • Environmental Earth Science
    • Science
    • Pharmaceutical Sciences
    • Agriculture
    • Life Science
    • Advanced Life Science
    • Education
    • Media, Communication, and Tourism
    • Health Sciences
    • Engineering
    • Chemical Sciences and Engineering
    • Economics and Business
    • Medicine
    • Dental Medicine
    • Veterinary Medicine
    • Biomedical Science and Engineering
    • Infectious Diseases
    • Global Food Resources
    • Humanities and Human Sciences
    • Information Science and Technology
    • Public Policy
    • Low Temperature Science
    • Electronic Science
    • Genetic Medicine
    • Catalysis
    • Zoonosis Control
    • Slavic-Eurasian Research
    • Information Initiative
    • Chemical Reaction
    • Vaccine
    • Food and Medical
    • Joint Facilities/Research Centers
    • Advancement of Higher Education
    • Advancement of Graduate Education
    • Center for Open Education
    • Student Advice and Counseling
    • Career Center
    • Human Resource Education
    • Joint Facilities/Educational Centers
    • Nitobe College
    • One Program for Global Goals
    • Cooperative Research Guidance and Double Degree Program
    • Outbound Programs
    • Open Courseware
    • Climate Change
    • SDGs Interviews
    • Spotlight on Research
    • Tackling Global Issues
    • Find an Academic Paper
    • Find a Researcher
    • Find Grant
    • Global Research and Education
    • Integrated Innovations
    • Business-Regional Collaboration
    • Program for Forming Japan’s Peak Research Universities (J-PEAKS)
    • Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP)
    • COI-NEXT
    • Undergraduate Admissions Overview
    • Modern Japanese Studies
    • Integrated Science
    • Graduate Admissions Overview
    • Agriscience
    • Chemistry and Materials Science (AGS)
    • Engineering (e3)
    • Global Environmental Management (GEM)
    • Environmental Earth Science (EPEES)
    • One Health
    • Life Science
    • Science
    • Hokkaido Summer Institute (HSI)
    • Short-Term Exchange in English (HUSTEP)
    • Japanese Language and Culture (JLCSP)
    • Special Auditor & Special Research Student
    • Scholarships for Prospective Students
    • Student Fees
    • Financial Support
  • Campus Life Overview
  • Japanese Language Courses
  • Health Care
  • Student Dormitories
  • Researcher’s Accommodation
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Clubs and Societies
  • Career Support
  • Students and Staff Communities
  • University Festivals
  • Discover Hokkaido
    • Inter-University Exchange Agreements
    • Departmental Exchange Agreements
    • International Consortia
  • International Visits
    • Seoul National University
    • The University of Melbourne
    • The University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Global PR Ambassador
    • International Student Growth
    • Number of International Students
  • Strategy and Organization
  • Sapporo Campus
  • Hakodate Campus
  • Information Center (Sapporo)
  • Shuttle Bus
  • Sapporo Campus Map
  • Hakodate Campus Map
    • Academic Information (ELMS)
    • Wi-Fi and the Campus Computer Network
    • How to Use Libraries
    • Syllabus Search
    • Logo Guidelines (internal-only)
    • About Press Releases (internal-only)
    • Starting a Social Media Account (internal-only)
    • Find Translated Database (internal-only)
    • Campus AEDs
    • Safety Confirmation System
    • Preventing Harassment
  • Information for International Colleagues
  • Information for International Students
  • HANDBOOK for International Students
  • Alumni
Hokkaido University
magazin-article
An ecological study of polar bears in Canada (Photo by Professor Toshio Tsubota)

Hokkaido University and Bears: Coexisting with Bears

  • Research
  • Litterae Populi
  • Biology
  • Veterinary Medicine
  • Animal
  • Arctic
  • Environment
Apr 16, 2025

This article was published in the Autumn 2024 issue of Litterae Populi.

Some species of bears around the world are on the brink of extinction due to climate change. Leading bear researchers are continuing their research in Japan and abroad, working tirelessly to make valuable scientif ic information about brown bears useful to society. How do researchers at Hokkaido University view the coexistence of bears and humans?

Toshio Tsubota, Director, The Hokkaido University Museum / Professor, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University (at The Hokkaido University Museum)
Toshio Tsubota, Director, The Hokkaido University Museum / Professor, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University (at The Hokkaido University Museum)

Chasing polar bears

Professor Toshio Tsubota of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, who also serves as the director of the Hokkaido University Museum, visited Churchill, a city in northeastern Canada that is often referred to as a sanctuary for polar bears, in April 2023. The city attracts large numbers of polar bears that gather to hunt seals on the sea ice. After 45 years of bear research, Professor Tsubota boarded a helicopter with his fellow researchers to participate in a polar bear ecological study, his long-held aspiration. He and his fellow researchers scanned the vast sea ice from the helicopter. The pilot spotted what appeared to be animal footprints. As they followed the footprints, they discovered a massive polar bear with yellowish fur. They anesthetized it, took blood and other samples, and attached a GPS tag to its ear before releasing the bear. They collected data on the bear’s behavior and ecology, and the analysis of the data is in progress.

An ecological study of polar bears in Canada (Photo by Professor Toshio Tsubota)
An ecological study of polar bears in Canada (Photo by Professor Toshio Tsubota)

Ongoing global warming has begun to affect the ecology of bears, including polar bears. Of the three genera and eight species of bears that exist worldwide, six species are now considered at risk of extinction, making their conservation an urgent issue. In Japan, bears are increasingly encroaching into human settlements. In fiscal year 2023, more than 200 people were injured or killed by bears, and more than 9,000 bears were killed as a result. Professor Tsubota voiced his concern, saying, “The situation of bears globally, including in Japan, is far from ideal. A global shortage of researchers specializing in bears has led to a lack of public understanding and communication to society regarding their populations, habitats, physiology, ecology, and behavior.”

In light of these circumstances, Professor Tsubota launched crowdfunding campaigns in 2023 and 2024 to support domestic and international bear ecological research, as well as to nurture young researchers. Both campaigns raised nearly double the target of 5 million yen, allowing for the polar bear study to be carried out. “The response exceeded our expectations; I was surprised by how many people are interested in bears,” Professor Tsubota remarked. “We’re using the funds not only for research but also to raise public awareness about bears.”

For coexistence between humans and bears

Professor Tsubota also serves as the president of the Hokkaido Brown Bear Association, a group composed of researchers and government officials, making scientifically informed recommendations for the Hokkaido Government’s brown bear management measures. Regarding the implementation of the Hokkaido Brown Bear Management Plan formulated by the Hokkaido Government, he commented: “I feel that the plan’s effectiveness in execution is still lacking. We can accomplish much more by assigning specialized wildlife officers to each region who can disseminate to local residents accurate knowledge about brown bear ecology and effective control measures.”

An anesthetized polar bear and Professor Tsubota (Photo by Professor Toshio Tsubota)
An anesthetized polar bear and Professor Tsubota (Photo by Professor Toshio Tsubota)

When asked what can be done to achieve coexistence between humans and bears, Professor Tsubota said, “Expanding scientific knowledge about bears and widely sharing it is essential both for conserving bears and for establishing proper relations between humans and bears. I’m committed to continuing my research without pause, working toward a future where both can live together.”

Bears you can meet at Hokkaido University

The Hokkaido University Museum, on the Sapporo campus, allows visitors to “encounter” many bears. Exhibits include taxidermy specimens, skulls, and even medicine packaging featuring bears. You might be surprised to find taxidermy displays even in small spaces along the corridors. At the Potolo museum shop, you’ll find bear merchandise, including some featuring bear silhouettes. From October 10 to November 30, 2024, the museum hold a Polar Bear Exhibition showcasing skeletal specimens, fur, and more.

A little farther from the Sapporo campus is the Hokkaido University Botanic Garden, which also includes a museum. The taxidermy bear displayed there is truly impressive. When you visit Hokkaido University, why not go on a bear hunt?

The Hokkaido University Museum (Kita 10, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo)

Botanic Garden, Hokkaido University (Kita 3, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo)

This article was published in the Autumn 2024 issue of Litterae Populi.

Related Links

  • Hokkaido University and Bears: Researching Bears
Share
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Linkedin
  • Bluesky
  • Threads
View all articles

Related

    • People
    Building bonds through memorable and special beers
    May 07, 2025
    • People
    Spreading the appeal of fermented foods worldwide
    Apr 30, 2025
    • Research
    Hokkaido University and Bears: Coexisting with Bears
    Apr 16, 2025
    An ecological study of polar bears in Canada (Photo by Professor Toshio Tsubota)
Hokkaido University
Kita 8, Nishi 5, Kita-ku,
Sapporo, Hokkaido,
060-0808 Japan
+81-11-716-2111
  • Contact Us
  • Sapporo Campus Map
  • Hakodate Campus Map
  • Jobs
  • Give
  • Site Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Codes of Conduct
  • The Japan Association of National Universities

Hokkaido University