Karuizawa is a small town located in Joshinnetsu National Park, a mountain resort in Japan. When it is hot in the summer in Tokyo, many people come to Karuizawa to enjoy the cooling temperatures of the mountains.

The forests around Karuizawa are full of biodiversity. The area is known for its Asian black bears (Ursus thibetanus), wild boars, Japanese macaques (Snow Monkies) and flying squirrels. Many visitors also come to the national park to observe birds such as copper pheasants and green woodpeckers.

Over the past few decades, many programs have been created, and it is with this in mind that the animal health course was set up. Bears living in the vicinity of the city have been fitted with radio collars to track their movements. If a bear gets too close to the city, members of the bear protection organisation’s team will try to stop it with the help of Karelian bear dogs. These dogs are highly skilled and specially trained to locate and repel bears in the forest. The dogs also protect the team members because they can detect the presence of bears much earlier than humans.

About 20 bears are currently marked with battery-operated radio transmitters. One of the tasks of the trainees is to assist the professionals in replacing the radio transmitters, which should be done every 2 to 4 years. For this purpose, bears are captured in cages and anesthetised in order to allow the replacement of radio collars. At the same time, veterinary medical examinations, such as checking for the presence of parasites, are carried out on the anesthetised bears.

During the Animal Health Internship, you will also be part of the canine team, which responds when a bear approaches the city.

As one of only three organisations in the world, the Karuizawa Project also breeds and trains Karelian bear dogs. You can help the trainer, play with the dogs and walk them in the forest. Among other tasks related to bear conservation: – release of bears caught in poachers’ traps and provision of veterinary care, laboratory analysis of blood, hair and teeth, as well as GPS data capture of bear movements and participation in bear science research (e.g., identification of winter den locations, monitoring bear health).

In addition to the work with bears, other animal sightings in the forests around Karuizawa are regularly recorded. There are photographic traps in the woods, whose data must be processed by the local authorities. Currently, copper pheasants are being researched using GPS and radio telemetry. Invasive plant and animal species that may endanger the ecosystem must be removed regularly. You will be involved in all these activities during this animal health internship.