[April Dream] Creating a "Gentle Boundary" to Protect Crops with Starfish Power and Achieve Zero Deer Collisions.

Our company supports April Dream, an initiative to make April 1st a day for sharing dreams. This press release represents the dream of "Hartech Biosector Inc."

[Our Origin] The "Full Harvest" We Want to Restore (Ohrin Apple Blossoms) The Reality of "Deer Damage" Here and Now

In Hokkaido, agricultural damage and traffic accidents (roadkills) caused by Ezo deer have become serious social issues. It has been announced that in fiscal year 2024, agricultural damage will amount to approximately 5.27 billion yen annually, roadkills to 6,705 incidents, and average vehicle repair costs to approximately 620,000 yen. However, behind these numbers lies not just "money." It's human lives. And the lives of wild animals. "...Once, we harvested so many apples that they wouldn't fit in this warehouse," This statement, heard at an orchard in Sapporo's Minami Ward, is my origin. Fruit trees with buds eaten by deer, bark stripped, and damaged. [Reality of Damage] A fruit tree with its bark completely stripped, on the verge of dying.

The unspoken regret conveyed by the back of the person gazing at that tree. I realized that this problem was not just mere damage, but the loss of a "life's work." Originally, I was not an expert. It all began when a customer approached me, saying, "I'm troubled by deer damage. Could you advise me?" From there, days of trial and error began. I studied deer ecology, tracked footprints in the snow, and continuously observed what they feared and what they avoided.

It was during this process that I encountered the technology of Hokkaido Environmental Biosector Inc. "Marine saponin," a natural ingredient derived from starfish, has the property of emitting ultraviolet light in response to light. On the other hand, deer are animals that can keenly perceive ultraviolet light, which is invisible to humans. When these two elements combined, new possibilities emerged. [Core of the Technology] "Starfish" with natural repellent components [Core of the Technology] Extracted "marine saponin concentrate."

To verify the hypothesis, "Can we communicate boundaries with light, not fear?", we conducted trials at a deer farm with the cooperation of Kitaizumi Kaihatsu Co., Ltd. Deer approaching the repellent tape stopped and changed their course. They hesitated to enter at the entrance. Furthermore, collisions with fences, which had been observed previously, were no longer seen. There are individual differences. However, there was indeed a change where they "could see" something. When observing the deer's behavior through monitors, the conviction "this can work" upon seeing their reaction became our greatest driving force to proceed with productization. We proceeded with the productization of "Deer Block" repellent tape, which uses "marine saponin" extracted from starfish to instill an instinctive sense of caution in deer, and unique "light" technology to visually stop them. Despite individual differences, they can certainly "see" it. Through light, deer are voluntarily choosing a path that says, "I cannot go beyond this point." [Glowing Message] Invisible to humans, visible to deer as "sharp light" (Image of "Deer Block" repellent tape as seen by deer)

By maximizing this natural repellent mechanism, it became possible to maintain an appropriate distance between humans and animals without harming deer. [Verification Results] A male deer stopping in front of the tape. A female deer heading towards the entrance, (bottom) the appearance of the "Deer Block" repellent tape used in the demonstration. Deer can indeed "see" the boundary.

By using ultraviolet light, which is invisible to humans but visible to deer, as a medium, we can convey a message without compromising the environmental landscape.

Our technology is not a strong barrier like an electric fence.

However, through demonstrations at farms in Akan and orchards in Sapporo and Sobetsu, we believe in the possibility of "coexistence." Even if 100% blockage is difficult, the boundary that says, "Please do not enter here," can be conveyed with light. Our company philosophy is "to create new value with our customers, cherishing coexistence between humans and animals and the global environment." The increase in deer may partly be due to humans encroaching on their living areas. That is why we want to create a "gentle boundary" using the power of starfish, rather than unilateral exclusion. Currently, we are proceeding with demonstration experiments by applying marine saponin-containing ink to guardrails on national roads in the Doto region of Hokkaido. [Demonstration] Applying ink to guardrails along a national road. [Demonstration] Footprints in the snow show movement parallel to the guardrail, avoiding collision.

Footprints in the snow confirmed behavior of moving parallel to the guardrail without forcibly crossing it. We have also received feedback from the local community, saying, "We feel that dangerous situations have decreased." Our technology does not forcibly prevent. However, it allows deer to make the choice themselves: "I cannot go beyond this point." Not to harm, but to make aware. That is our "gentle boundary."

Therefore, coexistence, not exclusion. To reduce damage of approximately 5.27 billion yen. To bring roadkills closer to zero. To restore a future where farmers can once again fill their warehouses with harvest.

April 1st. We declare our dream here. To create a future where neither humans nor wild animals are sacrificed. To bring the "gentle boundary" created by light from Hokkaido to the world. This is not an April Fool's joke. This is our serious dream.