'Super Monster Wolf' a success in Japan farming trials

BBC ^

[nickcarraway]

A robot wolf designed to protect farms has proved to be such a success in trials that it is going into mass production next month.

The "Super Monster Wolf" is a 65cm-long, 50cm-tall robot animal covered with realistic-looking fur, featuring huge white fangs and flashing red eyes, Asahi Television reports.

It's been designed to keep wild boar away from rice and chestnut crops, and was deployed on a trial basis near Kisarazu City in Japan's eastern Chiba prefecture last July.

When it detects an approaching animal, its eyes light up and it starts to howl, Asahi TV says. Its manufacturers say the robot wolf uses solar-rechargeable batteries and has a range of howl noises so that animal threats don't get used to it.

The Japan Agricultural Cooperatives say that crop losses have noticeably decreased in areas where the Super Monster Wolf has been present.

[RoosterRedux]

[nickcarraway]

Think of all those unemployed scarecrows...

[Spok]

My guess is that over time, the pigs will figure out the hoax and ignore it. When you shoot a few, they figure that out too and will usually stay away.

[Tax-chick]

Scarecrows would probably not deter wild boar.

[Snickering Hound]

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I have seen this movie.

It does not end well.

[rjsimmon]

Cujo?

[ZOOKER]

[matthew fuller]

Looks like a Wooly-Booger.

[stars & stripes forever]

Couldn’t it have a ‘friendlier’ face?

[knarf]

HERE

[WayneS]

$114 a month? How much to just purchase it outright?

[Hot Tabasco]

Ranks right up there with the plastic owls and hawks that are designed to keep birds away from boat basins and are covered with seagull crap..........

[WayneS]

If they can’t change with the time, they’ll be left behind...

[WayneS]

I’m going to hold out for the Mark II version - the one that can run 30 mph.

[matthew fuller]

This thing would be a hoot on any college campus! Snowflakes would kill each other in the stampede.

[Cicero]

A lot of folks put those fake owls and hawks on their dock railings back when if was popular. The seagulls used to fly down and sit on them to get a slightly better view of the fishing prospects.

[BushCountry]

Metalhead.

[SIDENET]

Well, that's a nice picture.

I didn't need to sleep tonight anyhow.