ANADYR, Chukotka Region, August 15 (RIA Novosti) – Authorities in Russia’s far east region of Chukotka have declared open season on brown bears after they began appearing more frequently in populated areas, the region’s hunting and nature conservation head said Thursday.
“To react swiftly to possible threats from bears, this year rangers and inspectors have been given permission to decide whether to shoot without prior approval from the [state environmental watchdog] Rosprirodnadzor,” Alexander Fatin told RIA Novosti.
Fatin said his department was getting increasingly frequent reports of brown bears sighted in or near populated areas, which potentially poses a danger to local residents. He said bears are regularly seen near the village of Aeroport and on the bank of the River Ugolnaya.
In the village of Ugolnye Kopi there were four bear sightings in the last week alone, he said. The police were able to make the animals retreat, after which an armed lookout point was set up, he added.
“Seventeen brown bears have been shot in Chukotka since June to control their population, and this number could rise in August and September, since the animals are demonstrating heightened activity,” Fatin said. “For comparison, during the whole summer last year 16 animals who had ventured into populated areas or fishing spots and were a threat to people were destroyed,” he added.
Hunting season for brown bears in the region started on August 1. Up to 100 animals – or 3.2 percent of the bear population – may be killed during open season, Fatin said.
Last year, an Iranian man was killed by a bear in Chukotka. His remains, showing signs of a bear attack, were found outside the region’s main town of Anadyr.
