[REVISION HISTORY]

Russia considers population controls after fatal bear surge

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2026-10-15 23:35 UTC → 2026-10-18 05:51 UTC · added ~~removed~~

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 308,000 individuals. Experts attribute the heightened conflict to food shortages in the taiga caused by climate change—specifically milder winters, early droughts, and dry springs—as well as wildfires and the attraction of human waste. Following at least 26 fatalities since this spring, including recent deaths in the Krasnoyarsk region where two women were killed while foraging, the Russian government is developing urgent population management measures. In the Siberian locality of Podtesovo and the surrounding Yeniseisky district, hunters have already opened a targeted hunting season following resident requests for direct action. The situation has led to legal and administrative scrutiny. In September, investigators launched a criminal case against a regional Ministry of the Environment regarding alleged negligence in population control. While authorities have implemented localized safety measures—such as closing hiking trails, transitioning schools to remote learning, and establishing curfews—the scale of the issue has grown. According to state news agency Tass, more than 3,440 bears have been culled since the beginning of the year due to being deemed a threat to humans. Recent developments in the Siberian Tuva region indicate a severe escalation, with bear attacks resulting in the deaths of 20 people in recent weeks. Observers note that these bears are actively approaching people rather than exhibiting typical shy behavior, a trend attributed to environmental stressors such as drying forests and devastating wildfires caused by climate change.

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