Bear kills man in home attack near Mongolian capital

Meanwhile, a bear has killed a man and seriously injured a woman after it attacked them in their home near the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar.

Key points

• There had been 24 bear sightings near the capital this year alone, compared to just two in 2018, Munkhbayar remarked, in comments noted by the AFP news agency.
• The man, who was in his 40s, died, but the woman, in her 50s, managed to flee and raise the alarm with neighbours.
• Police say the incident happened in the Bayanzurkh district overnight on Wednesday in their traditional Mongolian nomadic tent-like structure known as a ger.
• Sightings of bears around humans are becoming more common in Mongolia, for reasons that include climate change and food scarcity.
• A significant amount of Mongolians are nomadic, but settled agricultural communities are becoming more common.

For context, the man, who was in his 40s, died, but the woman, in her 50s, managed to flee and raise the alarm with neighbours. She is in a serious condition in hospital, city official Munkhbayar M remarked to journalists.

Notably, a team of rangers is searching for the bear while authorities have cautioned locals to be vigilant and report any sightings.

Videos showing bears entering or damaging gers, and attacking livestock have reportedly gone viral on Mongolian social media in recent weeks, highlighting the growth in bear and human interaction nationwide.

Bear-hunting permits throughout eight provinces have been issued and office-holders are seeking to obtain tranquiliser dart guns to backing rangers in rural areas, AFP reports.

For context, a significant amount of Mongolians are nomadic, but settled agricultural communities are becoming more common. An increasing number of the population lives in the capital or other major urban areas.

Taken together, the developments around bear kills man in home attack near Mongolian capital point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.