Source : Perth Now news
Russian hunters have killed five bears following the death of a 29-year-old woman who was attacked while camping in the Altai Mountains, authorities say.
The animals were killed in the area where a bear had dragged the woman from her tent at a campsite and mauled her to death the previous day.
Additional bear-hunting permits have been issued, regional government spokesman Mikhail Maximov told Russia’s state-run TASS news agency.
“As bears are increasingly appearing in villages, regulating their population is a necessary measure to ensure the safety of residents,” Maximov said.
Authorities also imposed restrictions on outdoor activity following the fatal attack, with residents and tourists advised against hiking between 8pm and 10am.
Police and hunters have organised patrols, while drones are also being used to monitor the area.
The attack occurred near the village of Artybash in Russia’s Altai Republic, close to the borders with Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan.
The woman was camping with her boyfriend.
Investigators have opened an inquiry into her death.
Her boyfriend said neither he nor others at the campsite had been able to help her during the attack.
Authorities said the region has a large bear population and that the animals are increasingly approaching populated areas.
Russia’s civil defence authorities have warned tourists of the ongoing danger.
Bear attacks on humans occur periodically in Russia, which is home to large populations of brown and polar bears, although fatalities are relatively rare.
