The pensioner fought off the animal and escaped by boat. Police have warned of recent bear activity across the region.
A bear injured an 81-year-old fisherman on the Kirenga River in Russia’s Irkutsk region. The man suffered wounds to his arms and body but managed to fight the animal off, get back into his boat and move away, the regional Interior Ministry said.
Police said the attack happened near the village of Chinonga in a remote area, as the fisherman was unloading his boat after reaching shore. The department warned residents that bear activity had been reported in several parts of the region and urged them to limit trips into forests and follow safety guidance.
It was the third reported attack in the region in several days. A bear killed a 71-year-old man in Ust-Ilimsky district on October 2. On October 4, a 55-year-old company employee was killed in Kazachinsko-Lensky district. Investigators are conducting checks into both cases.
Ecologist Yaroslav Ditsevich previously told RBC that bears may approach settlements in search of natural food and can also be attracted by accessible rubbish. Police did not link that explanation to the specific river attack.