A biologist links rare attacks to available natural food and low bear numbers, while advising residents to keep food waste away from homes.
Bears in central Russia rarely approach settlements because they have enough food in the forest, biologist Yulia Buyanova told RIA Novosti. She said encounters are more likely in the Tver, Yaroslavl and Smolensk regions, as well as in the Moscow region near its border with Tver.
Buyanova said bears are omnivores rather than exclusively carnivorous. They may seek meat after hibernation, but in spring the region offers berries, small mammals and carrion. In areas with relatively few bears, including Vladimir region, the chance of encountering an unusually aggressive animal is low, she said.
Animals that have learned to feed near homes pose a separate risk. If a bear repeatedly visits rubbish bins near a village, residents should remove accessible food waste and contact the state hunting inspectorate. Specialists can assess the animal’s behaviour and decide whether it should be captured or driven away.
Authorities have reported at least two bear attacks in central Russia over the past three years. A man died after an encounter in Kaluga region in 2024, and a bear attacked a person in Shakhovskaya, Moscow region, in 2025.