WATCH OUT

Black Bear Spotted Around Olympic Softball Venue Remains on the Loose

Officials spent the night searching for the bear, using loud music and firecrackers in an attempt to draw it out.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics did away with fans this year, but that didn’t stop some from trying to partake in the action. An Asian black bear was repeatedly spotted near the Fukashima Olympic softball venue between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, The Japan Times reports, just before Wednesday’s Japan-Australia match. Officials spent the night searching for the bear, using loud music and firecrackers in an attempt to draw it out. While the bear wasn’t found, it didn’t interfere with the game, which Japan won 8-1. “We couldn’t find or capture the bear, and while there won’t be any spectators at the stadium, we are on alert and searching for the bear around the site,” an Olympic spokesperson told the outlet.

It’s not the first incident of bears running through Olympic sites. Last month, a brown bear led officials on a dramatic chase through the town of Sapporo, which hosts the Olympic marathon. After mauling a soldier and pedestrian, the bear was shot dead.