A Japanese company manufacturing fierce-looking wolf robots is experiencing a flood of orders after the past year recorded a historic high in bear attacks on humans, some resulting in fatalities.
Foreign news agencies reported on 13 May 2026 that Ohta Seiki, located in Hokkaido and maker of the Monster Wolf, revealed that the company has already received about 50 orders this year, exceeding its usual annual order volume.
The Monster Wolf is an animal-repelling robot featuring a tubular frame covered with faux fur, equipped with speakers and a head with a fierce, open-mouthed wolf face. It has blinking red eyes and can emit howls and intimidating growls to scare away wildlife. Its starting price is around 4,000 U.S. dollars.
"We handcraft these robots. Currently, we cannot keep up with the demand, so we have to ask customers to wait about 2-3 months," said Yuji Ohta, the company's president, to AFP news agency.
"People are increasingly aware of bear safety and wildlife damage prevention (to agricultural produce), and there is growing recognition that our product is effective at deterring bears," Ohta added.
Most orders come from farmers, golf course managers, and those working outdoors in rural areas, such as construction workers. The Monster Wolf can play more than 50 recorded sounds, including human voices and electronic noises, audible up to one kilometer away.
Between 2025 and 2026, bears reportedly killed 13 people across Japan, more than double the previous record. Additionally, there were over 50,000 bear sightings nationwide, more than twice the previous highest recorded two years earlier.
Bear incidents, such as intrusions into homes, wandering near schools, and rampages in supermarkets and hot spring resorts, have become almost daily occurrences. This has led to a nearly threefold increase in bears captured and culled from the previous year, totaling 14,601—also a historic high.
Ohta introduced the robotic wolf product in 2016 to protect agricultural crops from deer, wild boars, and bears. Initially, it was mocked as a strange gadget made just for attention.
Currently, the company is upgrading the device by adding wheels so the robot can chase animals or patrol designated routes. Ohta also plans to develop portable versions for hikers, fishermen, and students, and is studying integrating AI cameras in future models.
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Source:cna