Russia plans new bear-control measures after dozens killed in recent attacks
The Russian government is drafting urgent actions to curb the growing brown-bear population after at least 22 people have been killed this spring.
Moscow is preparing a package of emergency measures to rein in the brown-bear numbers that have more than doubled to about 308,000 in the past thirty years. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev said the plan could lift hunting quotas, impose regional limits and grant local governments extra powers to reduce bear encounters. The proposal follows a wave of deadly incidents, such as the recent killing of a 23-year-old berry-picker in Kamchatka and a Siberian woman attacked in her garden.
Authorities and wildlife experts blame climate-driven milder winters, an early dry spring that left bears short of berries, and human negligence like leaving food waste exposed. A criminal case has been opened against the Krasnoyarsk environment ministry for alleged negligence linked to seven deaths in September. The federal environment ministry notes that 20-30 bear attacks are recorded each year, but social media may amplify their visibility.
Why it matters
Rising bear attacks threaten public safety and highlight challenges of wildlife management amid climate change.
In this story
