Russia-s growing bear population: What you need to know

Russia-s growing bear population: What you need to know

Attacks have risen in recent years, prompting the authorities to consider new measures to protect people
Russia’s brown bear population has more than doubled over the past three decades, while a rise in attacks in recent years has prompted authorities and lawmakers to consider new ways to reduce the risks.
An independent online project has also begun mapping reports of bear encounters across the country.
What does the bear map show? brings together reports of bear sightings, attacks and tracks from official sources, media reports, open publications, and users, plotting them on an interactive map of Russia.
The independent service also accepts user submissions. It does not track animals in real time: markers show where and when bears were reported, rather than their current location.
How serious is the problem?Russia is home to 307,900 brown bears, according to the Natural Resources Ministry.
The largest populations are concentrated in Siberia and the Far East, led by Krasnoyarsk Region with 26,600, Khabarovsk Region with 26,200 and Kamchatka with 24,200. Irkutsk Region has an estimated 22,400 and Yakutia 18,800.
Are bear attacks becoming more common?Authorities have recorded 59 attacks so far this year, leaving 21 people dead and 38 injured across 22 regions.
The figure compares with 34 attacks in 2025 and 19 in 2024. Officials say around 20 to 30 attacks have typically been recorded annually in recent years, although there have been exceptional spikes. In 2014, 166 attacks were registered.
In the Krasnoyarsk Region, six people died in confirmed or suspected bear attacks in September alone, prompting investigators to open a criminal negligence case.
Heightened-alert regimes have been introduced in several parts of Siberia and the Far East. In Zakamensk, Buryatia, two schools and a technical college switched to remote learning after a bear appeared inside the town.
Why are bears approaching people?Experts point to several factors, including the growing population, shortages of natural food, and easy access to human food.
Russian hunting inspectors and biologists have pointed to an unusually poor crop of nuts and berries this year. Researchers said that an early, dry spring caused berries to ripen and fall earlier than usual, leaving bears with less natural food as they prepared for hibernation.
Open rubbish containers, dumps, and food waste around homes and tourist facilities provide an easy source of calories. Once animals successfully find food near people, they may return. Wildlife authorities warn that bears accustomed to human food can gradually lose their natural caution and become more dangerous.
How are Russian authorities responding?The Russian government is preparing additional measures following this year’s attacks.
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev said on Wednesday that regions struggling to control bear numbers could receive additional federal funding. The government is also considering regulatory changes that would allow regional authorities to act more quickly, including potentially removing brown bears from the list of species subject to hunting limits.
As the bear population grows, so does the number of problems, Patrushev said at a government meeting on the issue.
Natural Resources Minister Aleksandr Kozlov has also proposed giving his ministry greater powers to verify regional estimates of bear numbers and setting baseline population levels for individual areas.
Separately, State Duma lawmaker Dmitry Novikov has proposed creating a public map showing areas where bears, wolves, and other predators regularly approach communities. His proposal includes camera traps and remote monitoring, as well as alerts for residents.
Why aren’t more bears being hunted?Existing hunting limits are far from being reached. In 2025, hunters killed 12,700 bears nationwide, or around 27% of the nearly 47,000 they were permitted to hunt, according to the Association of Hunters and Fishermen.
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