Key facts
- A Russian woman was killed by a bear in her garden in the Krasnoyarsk region.
- This is the seventh fatal bear attack in the region this month.
- The bear was shot dead by a neighbor.
- Experts cite climate change, lack of natural food sources, and human negligence for increased bear attacks.
- The brown bear population in Krasnoyarsk region has increased 2.5-fold to over 26,000.
- Investigators have opened a criminal case against the local environment ministry for negligence.
A Russian woman was fatally mauled by a bear in her garden in Siberia's Krasnoyarsk region, marking the seventh such death in the area this month and contributing to a nationwide spate of attacks. State investigators said the 51-year-old woman was killed by a brown bear that was attempting to access her garden where she kept domestic animals. A neighbor shot the bear dead.
Experts cited by Russian media attribute the increase in bear attacks to an early and dry spring that led to a scarcity of berries, forcing bears to seek food further afield. They also point to human factors, such as leaving food waste exposed and ignoring safety rules. In some regions, authorities are accused of failing to manage bear populations.
Official data indicates a sharp rise in bear numbers, with the brown bear population in Russia more than doubling since 1990. In the Krasnoyarsk region alone, the bear population has reportedly increased 2.5-fold to over 26,000 animals. Investigators have opened a criminal case against the local environment ministry, accusing it of negligence for failing to monitor and control the predator population, despite numerous warnings and over 120 reports of bears entering settlements.
Other fatal bear attacks this month in the Krasnoyarsk region include a logger and two women picking mushrooms. In Siberia's Irkutsk region, a pensioner and two men gathering plants were killed. In August, a bear killed a tourist in the Altai region, and in Tuva, ice hockey coach Alexander Kuzmenko was killed while on a fishing trip.
The environment ministry has downplayed the surge in attacks, stating that 20 to 30 attacks are recorded annually and that the current situation is amplified by widespread smartphone use and social media, creating an impression of a larger problem than in previous years, citing 2014 as an exceptional year with 166 cases.