Reduce bear damage!　Information sharing app

Since last year, bear sightings and damage have become an issue. Libenri Akita Inc., based in Semboku City, is effort to solve  the issue with the power of IT. The company has developed an application, "Animal Mamoru-kun", which calls attention to bears based on bear sightings.

Users of the application set the area where they receive sightings of bears and other animals. If users other than themselves post the location, date and time of a sighting in their area, they will be notified immediately. You will also be notified of sightings sent out by local authorities, such as Semboku City, on their official LINE. You can also check sightings within the past 30 days by selecting a location.

In addition to the app, the company was commissioned by Akita Prefecture to develop and operate the "Black Bear Information Map System", which went into operation on 1 July 2024 under the name "Kumadas". The system will show the locations, times and photographs of bear sightings, etc., which had been managed by each of the prefecture and municipalities, on a map in one place so that they can be seen at a glance. Moreover, as soon as information is entered by each municipality, it is immediately reflected on the map, enabling information to be shared more quickly than ever before.

昨年より、クマの目撃や被害が問題となっています。その問題にITの力で取り組んでいるのが、仙北市内に拠点を置く、株式会社リベンリ秋田です。同社は、クマの目撃情報を基に注意を呼びかけるアプリ「アニマルまもるくん」を開発しました。

同アプリのユーザーはクマなどの目撃情報を受け取るエリアを設定します。自分以外のユーザーがエリア内の目撃場所や日時を投稿すると、すぐに通知されます。仙北市などの自治体が公式ＬＩＮＥで発信する目撃情報なども通知されます。過去３０日以内の目撃情報も場所を選んで確認できます。

同社はアプリとは別に、秋田県が公募した「ツキノワグマ等情報マップシステム」の開発運用業務を受託しました。２０２４年７月１日より、「クマダス」の名称で運用がはじまりました。県や市町村がそれぞれで管理していたクマなどの目撃場所や時間、写真などが地図上に１つにまとめて示され、一目でわかるようになります。また、各市町村が情報を入力すると、すぐに地図上に反映されるため、これまでより早く情報を共有することができます。