In Krasnoyarsk, bears killed seven people in one month. A criminal case has been opened over the negligence of officials

In Krasnoyarsk, bears killed seven people in one month. A criminal case has been opened over the negligence of officials

In the village of Voznesenka in Russia's Krasnoyarsk Krai, a bear killed a 51-year-old woman.

According to the regional Investigative Committee, on September 25, the woman went out into the yard and saw a bear trying to enter the enclosure where domestic animals were kept. The predator attacked the woman, killing her on the spot. One of the neighbors shot and killed the bear.

A few days before the incident, the Investigative Committee had initiated a criminal case regarding the negligence of officials in the performance of their duties, as six people had died as a result of bear attacks in September.

Investigators conducted a search at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry of the Krasnoyarsk Krai. The names of the suspects in the case have not yet been disclosed.

Investigators noted that despite numerous reports of animals appearing near residential areas, officials did not take sufficient measures.

According to the Investigative Committee, the number of brown bears in the Krasnoyarsk Krai has increased 2.5 times, exceeding 26,000. More than 120 appeals were received from residents regarding bears entering settlements. The regional Ministry of Natural Resources authorized the shooting of 1,214 bears.

Experts do not explain the frequent appearance of bears in human-populated areas solely by the increase in their numbers. Among the reasons are the reduction of the food base and habitats, deforestation and fires, landfills near settlements, improper management of food waste, and insufficient funding for nature conservation programs.

Dmitry Markin, a Greenpeace expert for Central and Eastern Europe, said that simply shooting the bears will not solve the problem.