[Regnum] In the Krasnoyarsk Territory, a bear attacked a camp abandoned by tourists near the Kizir River, tearing apart a boat and destroying supplies. The victims reported this on social media on September 1.
The incident occurred during a two-week expedition for a group of travelers heading to Grandiose Peak, the highest mountain peak in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
Having stored some of their gear and a boat near the hunting lodge, the group set out on a hike through the taiga. A few days later, upon returning to their campsite, the travelers discovered that a bear had been near the lodge.
The animal tore apart an inflatable boat, destroyed all the food supplies left there, and chewed up cans of repellents, power banks, and batteries.
"The bear also tore the can of glue, so there's no way to seal it [the boat]," one of the tourists said in a video posted on Instagram (owned by Meta, an extremist organization banned in Russia).
According to the travelers, only the bottom remained intact. The group had to navigate the Kizir River in a torn boat, but they managed to reach the village.
Recently, bear encounters with people have become more frequent in other regions of Russia. For example, in the Chelyabinsk region, a family of bears ran out onto the road near Lake Bannoye in the dark. The mother and cubs were startled by a passing car, causing them to run ahead along the road. Later, they pulled over into the woods.
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Gamekeeper Krechmar explained why post-Soviet bears have become bolder with humans.
Post-Soviet bears have proven much bolder toward humans, as they did not experience the Soviet era, when animal populations were more actively regulated.Zoologist and gamekeeper Mikhail Krechmar spoke with Regnum News Agency on Tuesday, September 1.
According to the specialist, modern Russian bears can no longer remember the Soviet period even in terms of their own life experiences. Furthermore, their average lifespan is significantly shorter than reported in open sources.
"Twenty years is the maximum. These are very old bears. On average, the majority of the population is made up of young individuals. Always. Somewhere around 40%—under three years old. Since Soviet times, the bear generation has changed approximately four times," Kretschmar explained.
The agency's source emphasized that animals do not inherit their ancestors' memories of humans as dangerous. Fear of humans is developed through learning.
"If an animal is taught by its mother or is taught on its own that something is to be feared, it fears it. If it isn't taught this, it isn't afraid," the specialist explained.
The game warden noted that the current problem is partly due to the fact that the hunting resource is far from fully utilized. Regional bear harvest quotas are often only partially met.
"They're not shooting at it right now. The quotas issued for it are met at a maximum of 30% in each region. And there are regions where they're met at only 5%," the expert clarified.
The zoologist concluded that young bears may increasingly perceive populated areas or people as a source of danger, and their numbers will only continue to grow.