"Russia Alarmed by 'Killer Bears'—Not Just a Problem for Japan"

Killed While Picking Berries, Attacked in Front Gardens
Population Control Measures for 308,000 Brown Bears

The Russian government has begun regulating the bear population to control so-called "killer bears" that attack humans.

Russian Bear. Science.

According to local media reports on September 30 (local time), Dmitry Patrushev, Deputy Prime Minister for Agriculture and Ecology of Russia, stated at a meeting with relevant ministries that "the government is preparing a series of initial measures in response to bear attacks on humans."

He said, "It is clear that as the bear population increases, so do the problems," adding, "Systematic measures are necessary to ensure the safe coexistence of humans and animals and to maintain the necessary balance."

Specifically, the Russian government is considering eliminating the 'bear hunting quota' in certain regions. Currently, Russia designates an annual capture limit for bears in each region, but the plan is to lift this limit in areas where the population has become excessively large. Discussions are also underway to expand the authority of local governments regarding bear population control and to select regions in need of additional financial support.

The bear population in Russia has more than doubled over the past 30 years, from 130,000 to approximately 308,000. This increase is believed to be due in part to shorter and warmer winters.

This year, ongoing dry weather has resulted in a shortage of food sources such as forest berries, leading to an increase in bear sightings near villages. Consequently, there have been a series of fatal incidents caused by bear attacks.

In Kamchatka, in the Russian Far East, a 23-year-old man who went out to pick berries was killed by a bear earlier this week. Last week, in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, a 51-year-old woman was fatally attacked by a bear in her home garden. The investigative authorities in Krasnoyarsk have started an investigation, pointing to negligence by the local environmental authority responsible for bear management.

In Russia, at least 22 people have been killed by bears since this spring. However, the Russian Federal Ministry of Environment remains cautious about claims that bear-related incidents have surged recently. Government officials explained that there have been 20 to 30 bear attacks each year, and that the proliferation of social media has made it seem as if incidents have increased compared to previous years.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.