A local priest in Japan has opened his doors to a recently captured bear cub. Venturing outside its territory due to food shortage, the orphaned cub found itself in a residential state where it was safely captured. The priest intends to raise and care for it at his temple in a method aligned with Buddhist philosophy, while also aiming to educate the public about the growing wildlife-human conflicts in rural Japan.

In Japan, instances of wild animals, particularly bears, straying into human territories are increasing due to urban encroachment and climatic changes affecting their habitats. Embracing the Buddhist philosophy of co-existing with nature, many Japanese people empathize with these animals, making wildlife protection a regular topic of public interest. The story of the local priest offers an example of the approach rooted in compassion to this issue.

In comparison to the EU or US, where often professional wildlife control and rehabilitation organizations handle similar situations, individual efforts such as that of the priest are also recognized and largely respected in Japan. The general approach in Western countries focuses more on relocating the animal to a suitable habitat or professional sanctuaries.