It’s tempting to think that some warning signs can be ignored. This sign illustrates my point. It’s in a mountain park about 100 km from Tokyo and I photographed it while staying with friends.
I got a mixed response when I showed them the photo. The wife said it was nonsense to think that bears live so close to a big city. She figured the signs were put up to attract tourists. Her husband assured me that the bears are real and have to be taken seriously.
We have a similar problem in Australia. Visitors arrive in our northern cities and everything looks tame and civilised – modern buildings, sealed highways and so on. The thought of dangerous animals lurking around corners seems absurd – despite the warning signs.
What’s more, some of the locals are of a similar mind. They think the signs are put up by wildlife officers to scare them away from of their favourite fishing spots.
One Townsville family made that mistake and lost their dog to a croc while picnicking beside the river. The incident caused great concern and the local authorities warned people not to take pets on picnics in wetland habitats. They argued that your little friend is likely to dash around in the bushes and get eaten.
The logic escaped me. If you are daft enough to go on a picnic in a dangerous place then it makes sense to take a dog with you … better to loose the pooch than one of the kids!
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