1.
harmful animal; pest animal; nuisance wildlife
An animal that causes damage to crops, livestock, property, or human safety. Used in agricultural, environmental, and municipal contexts to refer to wildlife that creates problems for human activities.
害獣被害が深刻だ。
Damage from pest animals is serious.
鹿や猪は農作物を荒らす害獣とされている。
Deer and wild boar are regarded as pest animals that ravage crops.
地方自治体は害獣駆除のために狩猟免許を持つ人材を募集している。
Local governments are recruiting people with hunting licenses for pest animal control.
Composed of 害 (harm, damage) and 獣 (beast, animal). A term commonly encountered in news and local government communications, especially in rural Japan where wildlife encroachment on farmland is a growing issue due to depopulation.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 害獣駆除: pest animal extermination
- 害獣被害: damage from pest animals
- 害獣対策: pest animal countermeasures
- 害獣に指定する: to designate as a pest animal
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 害虫: harmful insect, pest insect — the insect equivalent; much more commonly encountered in daily life
- 害鳥: harmful bird, pest bird — birds that damage crops or property
- 野生動物: wild animal — neutral term without the negative connotation of causing harm
- 有害鳥獣: harmful birds and animals — the formal administrative term used in laws and regulations