In brief
A bear in western Mongolia killed 63 sheep and goats at a herder’s farm, and hunters later shot the animal. Authorities warn of increasing bear encounters due to climate change, food shortages and resource exploitation. The incident follows several recent attacks, including a fatality in Ulan Bator and injuries to herders in Darkhan‑Uul.
A bear attacked and killed 63 sheep and goats belonging to a herder in Bugat soum, western Mongolia, Xinhua reported on Monday, citing the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. The incident occurred on the previous Friday, and hunters later shot the bear as it tried to escape, the ministry said.
Authorities warned that bear sightings in and around residential areas across Mongolia have risen in recent months, urging the public to remain vigilant and take precautions to reduce the risk of encounters. Experts explain that climate change, food shortages in bears' natural habitats and the overexploitation of natural resources have contributed to the trend.
Prior to this, an earlier attack in October left a man in his 40s dead and a woman in her 50s seriously injured in Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia, Xinhua noted. A week before the Bugat soum incident, a 35‑year‑old herder was injured by a bear in the northern province of Darkhan‑Uul.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change said that the number of confrontations between bears and livestock is increasing over the years, underscoring the need for better management of the animals’ food sources and habitat protection.
These developments illustrate the growing danger that wild animals pose to both livestock and human life in Mongolia’s rapidly changing environment.