Russia Draws Up Measures to Control Bear Population After Spate of Deadly Attacks

By Reuters Sep. 30, 2026 The Eurasian brown bear. Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4 The Russian government said on Wednesday it was drawing up urgent measures to control the population of brown bears that has spiraled out of control in some regions, with at least 22 people killed in attacks. In the latest attack, reported by state media, a 23-year-old man out gathering berries was killed by a bear this week in Kamchatka, in Russia's far east. Last week, a Russian woman in Siberia was fatally mauled by a bear in her garden, amid a nationwide spate of killings that experts blame on climate change and human incompetence. "It is clear that as the population grows, so too does the number of problems. Systemic measures are needed to ensure that humans and animals can coexist safely and to maintain the necessary balance," said Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev. "In this regard, the Russian government is currently preparing a series of priority measures," he said. The government said it would look at lifting hunting quotas on brown bears, would establish regional population limits, give local authorities extra powers to control their numbers, and identify regions that need more financing to tackle the problem. The population of brown bears has more than doubled in the last three decades to 308,000, in part due to shorter and milder winters. At least 22 people have been killed by bears across Russia, the world's largest country, since this spring, the RIA state news agency said. Experts cited in Russian media have said bears have been forced to look further afield for food this year because an early and dry spring meant there was a lack of berries for them to feed on in September. People are also guilty of leaving food waste out in the open where it attracts bears and of ignoring safety rules, experts say. Investigators in Krasnoyarsk in Siberia — home to nearly 27,000 bears, according to environment ministry data — said last week that they had opened a criminal case into the local environment ministry, accusing it of negligence that led to the deaths of seven people in September alone. The federal environment ministry has sought to play down the spate of attacks, saying that around 20 to 30 cases of bear attacks have been recorded annually in recent years, but that social media and smartphones are making such attacks seem more widespread. Read more about: Animals , Regions , Wildlife Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Regions Calling: Russia’s Got a Bear Problem At least 19 people have been killed in brown bear attacks across the country since April. What is going on? 7 Min read Krasnoyarsk Woman Killed by Bear Amid Rise in Attacks Bears are confirmed to have killed at least five people in Siberia over the past month, state media reported. 1 Min read Is Russia Running Out of Time to Save the Caspian Seal From Extinction? If authorities fail to take decisive action to protect the seals, scientists estimate that the species could go extinct within two decades. 4 Min read Deer Take Over Siberia's Omsk Amid Abnormal Winter Weather Omsk residents have regularly encountered roe deer in recent weeks, sharing videos and photos online of the animals running through snow-covered city streets... 2 Min read