Authorities in Japan’s Tottori Prefecture are investigating a series of mysterious incidents in which someone repeatedly dumped large quantities of bread along a roadside inside Daisen-Oki National Park, with local officials warning the act could be an attempt to lure wild bears, which have been spotted with increasing frequency in the area this year.

According to a report by Nippon TV cited by the JoongAng Ilbo, the first batch of dumped bread was discovered on Aug. 14 along a road running through the midsection of Mount Daisen within the national park. A representative from the Tottori branch of Japan’s Nature Conservation Society, who first came across the discovery, found approximately 30 loaves of bread laid out at regular intervals along the roadside. Most of the loaves were individually wrapped, standard-sized units, and the total collected that day alone weighed 16.7 kilograms.

The foundation official described the initial confusion upon encountering the scene. “At first, I thought squared logs had fallen onto the road,” the official said, according to the JoongAng Ilbo. “I was truly shocked that bread kept appearing all along the road. I’ve never experienced anything like this before.”

The dumping did not stop after the initial discovery. According to the report, foundation staff collected an additional 6.3 kilograms of bread on Aug. 15 and 5.5 kilograms on Aug. 16, bringing the three-day total to 28.5 kilograms. After the matter was reported to police, another 10.5 kilograms of freshly dumped bread was discovered on Aug. 20. In total, roughly 39 kilograms of bread have been collected from the site since the incidents began.

Adding to the mystery, what appeared to be discarded chicken entrails were found along the same roadside area on Aug. 19, though authorities have not confirmed whether that discovery is connected to the bread dumping incidents.

Local officials have raised the possibility that the food was deliberately placed to attract wild animals, a suspicion rooted partly in the pattern of how the bread was distributed. Rather than being dumped in a single large pile, the loaves were spread out at consistent intervals along the road, a pattern the Nature Conservation Society said it could not fully explain but has treated as a potential indication that someone intended to draw animals toward the area.

The concern carries particular weight given a rise in sightings of Asiatic black bears, commonly known as moon bears, around the Mount Daisen area this year. Wildlife officials have warned that when wild animals become accustomed to food left out by humans, they are more likely to venture toward roads and residential areas in search of similar food sources, raising the risk of vehicle collisions or direct encounters between bears and people.

A representative from the Nature Conservation Society issued a direct appeal to the public following the discovery. “If food meant for human consumption is left out, it can lead to unfortunate encounters between people and animals,” the official said. “Please do not dispose of or leave out this kind of food under any circumstances.”

In response to the repeated incidents, Tottori Prefecture increased patrols of the area to twice daily beginning Aug. 20. According to the report, authorities are considering further measures, including daily patrols or the installation of surveillance cameras, should the dumping continue. More than a week after the first bread was discovered, authorities have not identified who is responsible or determined a clear motive behind the incidents.

The dumped bread and chicken entrails found along the roadside may constitute waste under Japan’s Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act, according to the report. If the dumping is formally classified as illegal disposal under that law, those responsible could face up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 10 million yen, or roughly $67,700. Because the incidents occurred within a national park, authorities have also indicated that violations of Japan’s Natural Parks Act could come into play if investigators confirm the intent was specifically to feed wildlife.

The incidents have drawn attention on social media within Japan, with some commenters speculating about possible motives behind the unusual dumping pattern, ranging from theories involving wildlife feeding to more critical commentary questioning why someone would discard so much food along a protected natural area.

Japan has experienced a broader increase in bear-related incidents and public safety concerns in recent years, as expanding bear populations and shrinking rural human populations in some regions have led to more frequent encounters between bears and residents across the country. Wildlife and conservation officials in Japan have periodically issued public warnings cautioning against feeding wild bears or leaving food accessible to them, given the significant safety risks that can arise once bears begin associating human areas with reliable food sources, a pattern that has, in past cases elsewhere in the country, ultimately required authorities to capture or cull bears that had become habituated to human-populated areas.

As the investigation into the Mount Daisen bread dumping continues, Tottori Prefecture officials say they remain focused on both determining the identity and motive of whoever is responsible and on preventing any further incidents that could increase the risk of dangerous encounters between bears and the public along the affected roadway. Authorities have not indicated a timeline for when the investigation might be resolved, and the increased twice-daily patrol schedule is expected to remain in place as officials continue monitoring the area for any additional dumping activity.