Bears Slaughtered in Olekminsk, Yakutia: Details on the Hunting Incident

In the Olekminsky District of Yakutia, a series of bear-related incidents have been reported recently, causing concern among locals and authorities.

On May 11, a local hunter was attacked by a bear while walking along the power lines near the Malaya Cherepanikha River. The hunter, armed with a hunting rifle, had to use it to protect his life and health during the attack. Unfortunately, no new information about the condition or whereabouts of the hunter has been provided.

The incident followed a sighting on May 11, where a bear was seen on power lines about 700 meters from the village of Yunkyur. In response, local hunters with permits were asked to scare bears away from the populated area.

However, acts of forced bear shooting and cubs being dragged by dogs were drawn up by the state inspectors, following an incident on the same day where hunters shot a mother bear and their dogs tore apart her cubs along the power lines by the Malaya Cherepanikha River. The hunters involved in this incident have not been publicly identified.

In response to these incidents, the Olekmin State Environmental Inspectorate warned the population to stay out of the forest due to the presence of bears near populated areas on May 10. The Ministry of Ecology of Yakutia also recommended avoiding going into the forest unless absolutely necessary during the spring period, as bears at this time are extremely dangerous and pose a real threat to human life.

The public is encouraged to report any incidents of bears appearing near populated areas and/or posing a threat to human life to the territorial divisions of the Ministry of Ecology, Nature Management and Forestry of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) or to the single duty dispatch services of the district administrations.

Prior to these incidents, on May 10, a local resident of Yunkyur encountered an aggressive mother bear with cubs while on his way to a gypsum mine. A video was also posted on social media showing a mother bear with cubs crossing a road near the village of Yunkyur, Olekmin district. No new information about the pack of dogs or the current status of the cubs has been provided.

Since the beginning of the year, due to the threat to the life and health of citizens by brown bears, the Ministry of Ecology of Yakutia has issued 15 decisions to regulate the population of 15 individual bears, resulting in the harvest of 2 bears. The press service of the Ministry of Ecology, Nature Management and Forestry of Yakutia made the report.