Russia Plans Bear Controls After 22 Bear-Attack Deaths

Russia is preparing stronger measures to manage brown bears after at least 22 people were killed in attacks since spring, including seven deaths in the Krasnoyarsk region and a recent fatal attack in Kamchatka. Authorities are considering easing hunting quotas, setting regional population limits, giving local officials more control, and directing additional funding to affected areas; some regions are already offering bounties for bears. The national brown bear population is estimated at about 308,000, more than twice its level three decades ago, though officials say it has been relatively stable in recent years. Experts point to scarce berries after a dry spring, milder winters, climate change and food waste near settlements as factors drawing bears toward people, while some reports also cite reduced commercial hunting. Bears have increasingly appeared near homes and schools, prompting measures such as curfews and remote learning in affected communities.