Japan has deployed a pack of robot wolves to battle the country’s record surge in bear attacks on humans.

The devices, known as “Monster Wolves”, are designed to scare away bears and other wild animals using flashing red eyes, loud growls and howling sounds.

Ohta Seiki, the Hokkaido-based company that makes the devices, said demand for the machines has surged. It has already received around 50 orders in 2026, more than the usual volume for an entire year.

Yuji Ohta, the firm’s president, said orders had exceeded normal annual demand within a few months.

“We make them by hand. We cannot make them fast enough now,” Mr Ohta told AFP, adding that customers are facing waits of up to three months.