The biologist explained the increase in conflicts between people and bears by the disappearance of hunting traditions

The increase in the number of conflicts between people and bears may be due to the fact that animals are gradually ceasing to perceive humans as a source of danger. Sergei Sokolov, a game biologist and manager of scientific projects for the Far East at the Amur Tiger Center, shared his opinion with TASS.

According to him, previously a meeting with a person was associated with a threat to life, so predators tried to stay away from them.

During the Soviet period, there was a developed system of commercial hunting, and the profession of a hunter was often passed down from generation to generation, Sokolov recalled. For many families, fishing was the main source of income, and encounters with a bear in the taiga ended with its prey. If we talk about the current state, now a significant part of professional hunters have left the hunt, many representatives of the older generation have died or stopped hunting, the biologist added.

At the same time, hunting dynasties and associated traditions are gradually disappearing, which may contribute to changes in the behavior of bears. In addition, bear hunting has lost its former popularity due to tightening legal nuances.

“In relation to the situation with bears, it is advisable to temporarily, until the problem of conflicts is resolved, remove these animals from the lists of restricted species, as was done with the wild boar. Perhaps [it makes sense] to reduce the cost of the permit,” the expert believes. He added that such a tradition can be returned to society under state control, and the products can be sold on foreign markets.