Food shortages could raise risk of bear encounters in Russia

An official from Rosokhotrybolovsoyuz linked the risk of winter and spring encounters with active bears to shortages of natural food in some regions.

People in Russia may face a greater risk of encountering food-deprived bears this winter and spring because of shortages of natural food in some regions, acting president of Rosokhotrybolovsoyuz Andrey Sitsko told TASS.

Sitsko said a lack of food could lead to bears remaining active through winter. Caution may also be needed in spring, during the first month after animals leave their dens and search for food following hibernation.

He said population-control measures had, in his view, removed some of the most aggressive bears. Even so, he said the current availability of natural food in many regions warranted concern.

Yury Kalinkin, a senior researcher at Altai State Nature Reserve, had earlier warned of heightened bear activity in Siberia before hibernation. He said bears that had not accumulated enough fat before winter could behave aggressively.