Three bears have been shot and killed following a recent surge of bear-related violence in eastern Russia.
On Monday, a bear attempted to "attack people" in a Kamchatka airport, Interfax reported citing local officials. A forest ranger shot and killed the "dangerous animal." No humans were injured in the incident.
Two other bears were killed on the Far East island of Sakhalin over the weekend.
One had been begging for food on a local road, but became aggressive when travelers endeavored to treat it like a pet, regional Agriculture Ministry official Andrei Zdorikov told Interfax.
The bear was provoked by a group of passers-by who tried to take pictures with it, pet it, and feed it with their hands, Zdorikov said, adding that the behavior was "completely unacceptable."
Local hunters attempted to scare the bear off, hoping it would retreat into the woods, but the animal "continued to return with enviable persistence" and had to be shot, Zdorikov was quoted as saying.
A second Sakhalin bear was shot for "behaving inadequately" by slaughtering livestock and geese in a local village and attacking a dog, Zdorikov said.
At least nine other bears have been shot in Sakhalin this year.
Most of the shootings came as a response to bears having attacked livestock. In one case, a man was reportedly injured after having stumbled over a sleeping bear while strolling through the forest. The bear in turn "jumped up out of fright and waved away with his paw, injuring the man's collarbone," Zdorikov said.
See also:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.