Key facts
- Russia is preparing measures to control its brown bear population.
- At least 22 people have been killed in bear attacks across Russia since spring.
- Experts blame climate change and human behavior for the increase in attacks.
- The government plans to review hunting quotas, establish regional population limits, and grant local authorities more control.
- The brown bear population has more than doubled in the last three decades to 308,000.
The Russian government is preparing urgent measures to control the country's brown bear population, which has grown significantly in recent decades, leading to a spate of deadly attacks. At least 22 people have been killed by bears across Russia since spring, according to state media.
In the latest incident, a 23-year-old man gathering berries in Kamchatka was killed by a bear this week. Last week, a woman in Siberia was fatally mauled in her garden. Experts cited in Russian media attribute the increased encounters to climate change, which has led to shorter winters and a lack of natural food sources like berries, forcing bears to seek food closer to human settlements.
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev stated that "Systemic measures are needed to ensure that humans and animals can coexist safely and to maintain the necessary balance." The government is considering lifting hunting quotas, establishing regional population limits, and empowering local authorities to manage bear numbers. They will also identify regions requiring additional funding to address the issue.
The brown bear population in Russia has more than doubled over the past three decades to an estimated 308,000. Investigators in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, have opened a criminal case against the local environment ministry, accusing it of negligence that resulted in seven deaths in September alone. However, the federal environment ministry has suggested that the number of attacks is not significantly higher than in previous years, attributing the perception of increased frequency to social media and smartphones.