Not up to hibernation: how the regions solve the problem of bear attacks on people
The Sverdlovsk region has set a limit on the production of brown bears in the period from August 1, 2026 to August 1, 2027. The solution works against the background of regular predator attacks on populated areas. One of the latest cases occurred on October 6 near Ivdel, where an animal damaged several cars. Other regions of the Russian Federation have also faced the problem — new deadly attacks have been recorded in the Irkutsk Region, and in Transbaikalia and other regions, authorities are imposing additional restrictions, increasing patrols and regulating the number of animals. What measures are being taken in different parts of the country can be found in the Izvestia article.
New cases of bear attacks
Cases of bear attacks on humans continue in many regions of Russia. On October 7, it was reported that a predator attacked a man in Primorye when he was in the water while fishing. He managed to escape thanks to a soy dog, which made him turn around at a noise behind him, after which the predator attacked the man. The victim suffered lacerations to his face, arm, and hip, as well as damage to his eyelid and left eye.
The day before, it was reported that a huge bear had staged a pogrom at the Magadan cemetery and stolen the body of a deceased woman. A source told Izvestia about this on October 6. According to him, the family arrived at the cemetery, the grave was dug. Subsequently, about 10 skulls and many bones were found in the forest 300 m from the cemetery. During the inspection of the territories, traces of a very large bear were found.
On Monday, it also became known about a bear attack on an 81-year-old man while fishing on the Kirenga River (Irkutsk region). According to the Interior Ministry, the predator attacked the pensioner when he moored to the shore and began unloading the boat. Fortunately, the man managed to fight off the beast, return to the boat and set sail.
Sverdlovsk region: production limit
Due to the ongoing cases of bear attacks on people and their release into cities and towns, various security measures are being taken in the regions to prevent tragedies in the future.
From August 1, 2026 to August 1, 2027, the extraction of 977 brown bears is allowed in the Sverdlovsk region. Of this total quota, 267 predators can be hunted directly from hunting grounds.
One of the last cases in the region was recorded on October 6 in the Ivdel area. The bear went out to a gold and ore mining quarry and damaged several cars in the parking lot. After that, the hunters began to patrol the area. By that time, the situation with eight predators had already been resolved in the Ivdelsky district, including a bear that appeared at the local cemetery.
At the end of September, the regional authorities also decided to regulate the number of dangerous predators in the north of the region. It concerns animals that approach populated areas and may pose a threat to human life and health.
Irkutsk region: high alert mode
The most difficult situation remains in the Irkutsk region. According to the regional authorities on October 5, since the beginning of 2026, five people have died and five more have been injured during encounters with bears there. From September 28 to October 4 alone, Sistema 112 received 461 reports of possible predators, in 193 cases the information was confirmed.
The largest number of exits were registered in Bratsk, Nizhneudinsky and Slyudyansky districts, Nizhneilimsky, Taishetsky and Ust-Ilimsky municipal districts, as well as Angarsk city district.
Bears are also noticed directly in populated areas. On the evening of October 5, a resident of Bratsk reported a predator in the residential area of Energetik. The animal was spotted on an industrial street near a bus stop. When the police arrived, they found footprints similar to those of bears, after which hunting experts and representatives of the administration joined the survey of the territory.
Two fatal attacks had occurred a few days earlier. On October 4, a bear entered a residential trailer on the territory of the enterprise about 300 km from the village of Magistralny in the Kazachinsko-Lena district. There were four people inside: three managed to escape through a window, but a 55-year-old employee died. Later, the animal was discovered and eliminated by hunters.
Another person died on October 2 in Ust-Ilimsky district. In a wooded area near the mouth of the Ilim River, a bear attacked a 71-year-old man. The predator was subsequently neutralized.
Amid the increased frequency of incidents in the Irkutsk region, a high-alert regime is in effect. Residents are advised to limit visits to forests, and by the beginning of October, 142 groups of hunters, huntsmen and experienced hunters had been formed to regulate the number of predators. The intensity of their work has increased significantly. They hunted 12-15 animals every day.
Transbaikalia and the Republic of Tyva: restrictions for residents
Complex restrictions also apply in the Trans-Baikal Territory. Since September 29, a high-alert regime has been introduced throughout the region. The reason was the numerous cases of bears appearing near populated areas.
Municipalities have been instructed to create working groups and promptly inform the population about the appearance of animals. The authorities pay special attention to the reasons that can attract predators to housing. Control over timely garbage collection and uncontrolled grazing of farm animals has been strengthened.
Some measures concern children — additional briefings should be conducted in schools, as well as safe routes should be determined. Medical organizations are required to maintain readiness to provide assistance to victims, including with the involvement of air ambulance. Law enforcement agencies are conducting preventive raids.
Stricter measures have been introduced in the Republic of Tyva, where the high-alert regime has spread to 11 districts. Mass cultural, sports, and children's events are restricted in the forest area, as well as visits to forest areas.
Residents of settlements located near forests were advised not to be outdoors unnecessarily at night. Parents were encouraged to accompany their children to school and back. In addition, operational groups of hunters have been formed in the republic and round-the-clock duty has been organized.
One of the reasons for the release of animals to humans in the region is called the lack of natural food. Gosokhotnadzor reported a crop failure of pine nuts and berries. Against this background, predators began to approach villages and shepherd camps more often. Over the past few months, more than 10 bear attacks on livestock have been registered.
Tomsk and Novosibirsk regions: restrictions on hiking in the forest
Restrictive measures are also in effect in the Tomsk Region, where a high-alert regime has been introduced. Residents are advised to reduce their stay in the forests and temporarily abandon the collection of mushrooms, berries and cones.
The relevance of the restrictions is confirmed by new incidents. On October 5, on the 9th km of the Kamayevka - Asino — Pervomaiske highway, a Ford Mondeo collided with a bear that entered the roadway. After the incident, the car slid into a ditch and overturned. The driver and two passengers were hospitalized, and the animal died.
The municipalities of the region have also been instructed to curb the uncontrolled grazing of farm animals in hunting grounds. The police and the regional Department of hunting and fisheries are involved in the work.
In the Novosibirsk region, the main focus is on regulating the number of predators. On October 7, the regional Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment allowed the extraction of five more brown bears: two in the Hungarian municipal district and three in the Kochenevsky district. The events must be held before November 4th.
Taking into account the decisions taken in the second half of September and early October, 26 animals were allowed to be shot in the region. According to the regional Ministry of Natural Resources, the brown bear population has increased by about a quarter in nine years, from 1,132 individuals in 2017 to 1,514 in 2026.
Residents of the Novosibirsk region were also advised to temporarily abandon walking, hiking and picking mushrooms in the forests. If it is impossible to avoid visiting the forest, experts advise not to walk alone, do not leave food waste, do not approach animals and do not try to feed them.
Federal authorities: financing the regions
The growing number of incidents between humans and wild animals has become a topic of discussion at the federal level. According to state monitoring data provided by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev on September 30, the number of brown bears in Russia has more than doubled over the past 30 years and now exceeds 300,000 individuals.
The Government intends to identify entities that need additional funding to regulate the animal population. After the list is formed, it is planned to prepare a decision on the allocation of funds from the federal budget.
At the same time, a change in the regulatory framework is being discussed so that subjects can respond more quickly to the appearance of predators. One of the options being considered is to exclude the brown bear from the list of species whose production is regulated by an annual limit.
The head of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Alexander Kozlov, also proposed to establish basic standards for the number of bears for individual territories. In addition, headquarters are planned to be held at the department's site with the participation of regional authorities, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecutor General's Office, the Rosselkhoznadzor and Rosprirodnadzor.
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