今年のクマの襲撃による死者数は、10月30日時点で12人と、2023年を抜いて過去最高となりました。
The Environment Ministry says twelve fatalities as of Oct 30 surpassed the six recorded in 2023.
※fatality 不慮の死、死者数
※as of～時点で
※surpass 超える
日本にはツキノワグマとヒグマの二種類が生息。冬眠前の襲撃ニュースがよく聞かれます。
Two types of bear are found in Japan: the Asian black bear, and the brown bear. Asian black bears live in mountainous areas in Honshu and Shikoku. Brown bears in Hokkaido are a bit larger.
Attacks by bears tend to surge in autumn before bears hibernate, with experts saying low yields of beech nuts because of climate change could be driving hungry animals into residential areas. Depopulation has also been cited as a factor.
※hibernate冬眠する ➾enter/go into hibernation/go into one’s winter sleep
※yield 産出高、収穫量 ※beech nutブナの実 ※acorn＝どんぐり
※depopulation過疎化
瀬美温泉（岩手県）ではスタッフが露天風呂清掃中に行方不明となり、翌日損傷の激しい遺体が発見されました。
A 60-year-old man cleaning an outdoor hot spring bath has gone missing in what is suspected to be the latest incident.
※露天風呂＝open-air bath や outdoor hot spring bathなど
A search party on Oct. 17 found a severely mutilated body believed to be a hot spring inn worker.
※mutilate(人や動物の)手足等を切断する、切り刻む 外科手術で切断する場合はamputate
・亡くなったのは、主にレフェリーとしてプロレス業界にも長年携わり、この春転職をした笹崎勝巳さん（６０）とみられます。
ツキノワグマは上半身を狙う傾向にあります。
The papers found that black bears tend to maul a human’s head and upper body, rather than the lower torso.
※maul （人や動物が）襲って傷つける、乱暴に、手荒く扱う、切り裂く
※torso人体の胴➾trunk
Of the 54 cases documented in the two papers, 48 victims, nearly 90 percent, had wounds to their eyes and noses, 22 had injuries on the upper half of their bodies, such as shoulders and arms, while only seven people sustained injuries to their lower limbs.
※limb手足、肢
顔を狙うクマの襲撃。複雑な機能を有する部位で再建外科手術が必要な場合もあります。
A new study has found that when black bears attack humans, the animals usually target their victim’s faces, which can leave survivors with extensive injuries and disfigurement requiring reconstructive surgeries or even surgical eye removal.
Facial wounds often require long-term treatment since the face contains so many vital organs and tissues, including the eyes, nose, and salivary glands.
※salivary gland唾液腺
※disfigurement 外観、美観を損なう事、傷
※reconstructive surgery再建外科手術
・生まれつきの奇形や、事故や火傷による外傷、腫瘍の切除後の再建等、元の機能的・形態的な状態に「再建」「復元」することを目的とした手術。失われた機能を回復させ、患者の社会復帰や生活の質（QOL）の向上を目指す。
以下はヒグマの襲撃に遭った場合は死んだふりをして、頭を守るというアドバイスです。（米国のサイトより）
If a brown bear attacks you, play dead. Don't fight back since that will make the attack worse. Cover your head with your hands and leave your backpack on to help protect yourself. Lie down flat on your stomach with your legs outspread and protect your head.
