Bear kills man in Ulaanbaatar as sightings rise

A bear killed a man and seriously injured a woman in their home on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolian authorities said, as officials warned of a rise in bear sightings across the country.

The man, in his 40s, and the woman, in her 50s, were attacked on Wednesday night in the Bayanzurkh district, city environment department chief Munkhbayar M told a news briefing. The woman fled after being injured and sought help from neighbours. She is being treated in hospital.

Munkhbayar said a team of 35 rangers is trying to locate and kill the bear.

He said Ulaanbaatar has recorded 24 confirmed bear sightings so far this year, compared with two in 2018 and one in 2019. Across Mongolia, 754 bear sightings have been reported in 11 provinces and the capital this year, with 80 percent involving cubs or female bears with cubs.

Authorities have issued bear-hunting permits across eight provinces and are seeking tranquiliser dart guns to support rangers in rural areas.

Officials said investigations are still underway to determine what has caused the rise in sightings. Baljinnyam N, an Environment and Climate Change Ministry official, said a bear hunted and examined in the eastern province of Khentii had no food in its stomach. He said authorities banned the harvesting of nuts and berries from mountainous areas in September for this year.