Increased fatal brown bear attacks in Russia

Fatal brown bear attacks have increased across multiple Russian regions, including Siberia, the Far East, the Volga, and the Urals. This surge in aggression is linked to a significant increase in the brown bear population, which has more than doubled since 1990, reaching approximately 307,900 individuals. Experts attribute the heightened conflict to food shortages in the taiga caused by drought and forest fires, as well as the attraction of human waste.

Reports from late summer and early autumn 2026 indicate at least 11 deaths and dozens of injuries. Notable fatalities include a 29-year-old woman in the Altai Republic and several deaths in the Krasnoyarsk region, including an incident where two women were killed while gathering mushrooms near Podtyosovo.

In response to the crisis, emergency services and hunting inspectors have culled hundreds of bears to protect residential areas, schools, and tourist sites. In Krasnoyarsk, authorities reported killing approximately 80 bears in a two-day period to prevent them from entering homes and schools. Additionally, major tourist resorts have closed early and ecological routes in several national parks have been suspended to ensure public safety.