Animal Mode: how Siberia continues to fight against the invasion of bears
In the Trans-Baikal Territory, amid the increased number of wildlife escapes to populated areas, a high-alert regime has been introduced. Bears are particularly dangerous. The regional authorities ordered to strengthen security measures, take control of waste disposal and restrict grazing. Additional briefings will be held at schools, and safe routes will be identified for children. Why predators are increasingly appearing near people's homes and to what extent the situation is related to the increase in their numbers — in the Izvestia article.
Why has a high-alert regime been introduced in Transbaikalia due to bears
The high alert regime has been in effect throughout the Trans-Baikal Territory since September 29. This decision was made at a meeting of the commission on emergency situations due to the increased number of wild animals, primarily bears, entering populated areas.
The heads of districts were instructed to form working groups and notify residents. One of the key measures will be the control of garbage collection: food waste can attract predators to human habitations. In addition, local authorities must curb the uncontrolled grazing of farm animals. Schools are planning to conduct additional briefings, identifying safe routes for children. Medical services, including air ambulance, have been instructed to be on standby to provide assistance.
Residents of the region were urged not to approach the bears and not try to feed them. If a wild animal appears in a populated area, you should immediately contact the emergency services. The authorities also recommended that the population temporarily abandon hiking in the forest, fishing, picnics, picking mushrooms and berries.
The decision to introduce a special regime was preceded by new cases of predators appearing near people. On September 27, the regional Ministry of Natural Resources reported that in the Krasnochiko district, mobile groups eliminated four bears that posed a threat to the population during the day.
85 mobile groups have been formed in Transbaikalia to respond to reports of predators, and 275 hunters have been involved in their work. Hunters go to the places where animals appear and assess the degree of danger.
Where in Russia have bears started coming out to people more often
Transbaikalia is not the only Siberian region where the authorities were forced to take additional measures this fall due to bears. The most difficult situation has developed in the Irkutsk region.
A high-alert regime has been introduced there since September 18 throughout the region. Governor Igor Kobzev explained the decision by the frequent exits of bears from their natural habitat to settlements, highways and directly to households. By the time the regime was introduced, the authorities had received more than 1.5 thousand reports of predators during the entire period of their activity.
The situation remains tense at the end of the month. According to the regional hunting supervision, published on September 29, 75 reports of bears were received by Sistema 112 in the Irkutsk region in just one day. After checking, the presence of animals was confirmed in 33 cases. During the day, 25 bears were killed, and in total in 2026, 325 bears were killed as part of population control.
For comparison, as early as September 23, 236 animals were reported to have been harvested since the beginning of the activity period. Then, in one day, the emergency services received 82 reports of animal sightings. The most frequent signals came from Slyudyansky, Bratsky, Nizhneudinsky, Nizhneilimsky, Kazachinsko-Lena and Zhigalovsky districts.
The measures taken in Transbaikalia and the Angara region largely coincide: the authorities recommend limiting visits to forests, controlling the grazing of farm animals and promptly reporting the appearance of predators.
How many brown bears live in Russia now
Against the background of frequent reports of encounters with animals, the question arises about the size of their population. According to the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources, there are about 307.9 thousand brown bears in the country in 2026. During the year, their number increased by about 3.7 thousand individuals.
At the same time, the increase has been much more noticeable over the past few decades. In 1990, there were about 130,000 brown bears in Russia. Thus, their population has grown more than 2.3 times in 36 years.
However, a large number by itself does not mean a proportional increase in the number of attacks. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment noted that the number of such cases in 2026 is not a record: about 20-30 predator attacks per year are usually recorded in Russia.
Especially large populations are concentrated in Siberia and the Far East. According to the agency, about 26.6 thousand brown bears live in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, 26.2 thousand in Khabarovsk, 24.2 thousand in Kamchatka, 22.4 thousand in the Irkutsk Region, 18.8 thousand in Yakutia, and 13.3 thousand in the Amur Region.
But what is happening in the fall of 2026 cannot be explained solely by the general increase in the number of animals: the conditions of a particular season, the availability of natural food, as well as the availability of food sources near settlements are also important.
Why do bears come out to populated areas
It is the available food waste that remains one of the main factors that can anchor a bear next to human habitation. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment warned that open containers, landfills and waste near tourist sites could create danger. By getting food in this way, the animal can get used to an easily accessible source of food and return to humans.
This explains the assignment of the authorities of Transbaikalia to strengthen control over garbage collection. This measure is aimed not so much at eliminating predators that have already appeared, but rather at reducing the attractiveness of settlements for bears in the future.
The second factor is related to the animals' search for natural food before hibernation. In autumn, bears need to accumulate fat reserves, so the lack of habitual food can force them to move long distances and look for alternative food sources.
At the same time, the very appearance of a bear near a settlement does not mean that the animal will necessarily attack a person. However, regular access to human food increases the likelihood of repeated attacks, and a close encounter with a large predator poses a potential threat, regardless of the reasons for its access to humans.
Attempts to approach, photograph, or feed an animal may be particularly dangerous. The authorities of Transbaikalia urge residents not to approach bears and cubs and immediately send information to emergency services about the appearance of the animal in the village.
When will the activity of the bears decrease
The seasonal factor remains crucial for the development of the situation. In autumn, brown bears actively feed before wintering, and the timing of their stay in dens depends on the region, weather, and food availability. Therefore, there is no single date after which the predator releases will stop.
It is now more important for regional authorities not only to regulate the number of potentially dangerous animals, but also not to create conditions that will keep them near settlements.
The situation in the Irkutsk region shows that the problem can persist for weeks even after the introduction of a high-alert regime. In Transbaikalia, the authorities are still focusing on preventive measures: working groups should operate in all districts, law enforcement and supervisory agencies should conduct preventive raids, and educational and medical institutions should be prepared for possible incidents.
However, the growth of the Russian brown bear population raises the question of whether the existing methods of accounting and regulating animals are effective and meet the new conditions.
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