Andrey Sitsko warns of winter and spring risks from hungry bears

Limited natural food supplies in Russian regions could increase the risk of bears remaining active through winter, acting Rosokhotrybolovsoyuz president Andrey Sitsko told TASS.

Sitsko said the current food situation warranted concern about bears failing to hibernate this winter. He also believed population management measures had removed the most aggressive animals. That was his assessment, rather than a declaration that the danger had disappeared.

He said caution would also be needed in spring. Bears face roughly a month of scarce food after leaving their dens, when stored fat helps sustain them.

Arkhangelsk region hunting inspector Evgeny Volkov previously warned that throwing stones or sticks at a brown bear could provoke an attack.

The latest comments concern a possible seasonal risk. They do not establish that non-hibernating bears have already appeared in every region or that every bear encountered in autumn belongs to that category.