Russia sets cull limits to help control bear population after attacks kill 36 people
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The Russian authorities received more than 12,000 reports of brown bears approaching people in 2026.
PHOTO: AFP
- Russia has set a cull limit of up to 30% of brown bears after 36 people were killed in 87 attacks in 2026, Reuters said.
- The Ministry of Natural Resources said more than 12,000 bear approach reports were received, and the move aims to cut attacks and control numbers.
- Russia says it has 308,000 brown bears and has set regional quotas, with more than US$970,000 to fund the cull near people and landfills.
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The Russian government has established a cull of up to 30% of brown bear populations to keep numbers in check after bear attacks killed 36 people in 2026, the Ministry of Natural Resources was quoted as saying on Nov 13.
A ministry statement, quoted by the state RIA news agency, said the limit sought to better control bear populations and reduce the number of attacks and was already registered with Russia's Justice Ministry.
“Since the beginning of 2026, more than 12,000 reports have been received in Russia about brown bears approaching people. There have been 87 attacks, with 36 people killed,” RIA quoted the ministry as saying.
“In view of the situation, a decision was taken to remove limits and set a maximum quota for culling at 30% of the brown bear population in each region.”
The RIA report gave no indication when the cull was to begin or how long it was to remain in effect.
The figure for deaths was one more than reported earlier this week by RIA following the killing of a security guard at a holiday camp in the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula.
The ministry put Russia’s bear population at 308,000 and said culling quotas varied from region to region, including 14% on Kamchatka and 19% in western Siberia’s Krasnoyarsk region.
The ministry allocated funds totalling more than the equivalent of US$970,000 (S$1.25 million) to finance the cull of bears known to approach people and feed at landfills.
According to government data, the brown bear population has more than doubled in the last three decades, in part due to shorter and milder winters. REUTERS