A wolf that isn't alive but still howls, growls and flashes red eyes is suddenly in the spotlight in Japan, where a jump in bear attacks has turned the mechanical creature into a surprise export-worthy hit. Although it may look like a cheap gimmick at first glance, the Monster Wolf…

The faux wolf emits noises as loud as a car horn, with about 50 variations such as animal howls and human voices played at random to prevent the animals from getting used to a single sound. The sounds were created using artificial intelligence and copyright-free materials.

Inquiries for the product have tripled recently, including about 10 from overseas, such as one from India asking whether it could also be effective against elephants.