35 rangers attempt to locate and shoot bear after man dies in Mongolia

The man, aged in his 40s, and a woman in her 50s were attacked on Wednesday evening at their home in Bayanzurkh district, on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar, the head of the city's environment department, Munkhbayar M, said at a press conference.

The woman, who fled after being injured and asked her neighbors for help, is currently being treated in hospital, he said. A team of 35 rangers is currently trying to locate and kill the bear.

Several investigations carried out to understand the situation

Interactions between bears and humans have increased in Mongolia, with 24 confirmed reports since the start of the year in Ulaanbaatar, compared to only two in 2018 and one in 2019, the official said.

Authorities have issued bear hunting permits in eight provinces and are seeking to procure tranquilizer dart guns to help forest rangers in rural areas.

Investigations are still underway to determine the causes of this increase in bear encounters.

A bear that was hunted and examined in the eastern province of Khentii was found to have no food in its stomach, Baljinnyam N, an official with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, told reporters.

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754 bears observed since the start of the year

As a result, authorities in September banned the picking of nuts and berries in mountainous areas for this year, he added.

Across Mongolia, 754 bear sightings have been reported in 11 provinces and the capital since the start of the year. Of these, 80% concerned cubs or female bears accompanied by their young.

Japan has also seen a sharp increase in bear reports and attacks on humans in recent years, including on the outskirts of cities.