Bears Increasingly Enter Residential Areas in East Kazakhstan

Bears are increasingly venturing into areas inhabited by people in East Kazakhstan, 24KZ reports. In the outskirts of Ridder, the predators enter summer cottages, get into gardens and raid beehives. Local residents admit that they are now afraid to leave their homes after dark. Following complaints from villagers, inspectors from the rapid response unit have begun patrolling the area. The predators are being searched for both on the ground and from the air using drones.

In the village of Sharavka near Ridder, bears have become such frequent visitors that people are now afraid to leave their homes in the evenings. The forest neighbors make their presence known openly – their tracks can be found everywhere. Even fences fail to stop the animals.

Almost every house here has its own garden and vegetable plot. But these days, it is not the villagers but the bears that are harvesting the crops.

Anel Yessenberdina, correspondent:

- This family of bears has settled in so well that they have even made themselves a bed here. They come every evening. The cubs climb up the apple tree – you can see their tracks here – break branches and feed on the apples.

Residents are doing what they can to protect themselves. Some buy firecrackers to scare the predators away with noise, while others rely on bright lighting. People are worried about their livestock and even their dogs.

Viktor Marshalkin, resident of Sharavka:

- As soon as it gets dark, the dogs start barking. That's it, he's coming. I go outside and turn on the lights so he doesn't eat my dogs. What else can I do? I turn on the lights and walk around. Those who keep beehives turn on spotlights aimed at the hives so the bear doesn't come near them.

Aleksey Lipin is one of the local beekeepers. He says that because of repeated bear raids, he has already had to move his apiary to a new location three times. He has now installed an electric fence around the perimeter – otherwise, he says, there would soon be no beehives left.

Aleksey Lipin, beekeeper:

- Over the course of a season, it would destroy about 15 to 20 [beehives], so once it gets used to coming here, the only option is to move the apiary. There is no way to fight it or do anything about it. Bears really love sweets – they have a sweet tooth.

But living so close to the predators is becoming increasingly dangerous. Following residents' complaints, three crews from the East Kazakhstan Regional Forest and Hunting Management rapid response unit are now patrolling the outskirts of Ridder.

Zheniskhan Tleuzhanov, inspector with the East Kazakhstan Regional Forest and Hunting Management Rapid Response Unit:

- We use special equipment, including drones and thermal imaging cameras. If the animals pose a threat to people's lives or health, we may use firearms.

In just one week, inspectors spotted around 10 bears near Ridder. All of them were driven back toward the mountains. But it remains unclear how long they will stay away. Due to spring frosts, there is not enough natural food in the forest this year. And as long as gardens and apiaries remain an easy source of food, residents fear the bears may return.

Authors: Anel Yessenberdina, Zhiger Babakhanov.