Bears force villagers to flee Tomsk Oblast

Bear raids in Siberia are forcing people to leave their homes — in the Tomsk region, entire villages are dying out due to predators.

Consensus

Small settlements in Tomsk Oblast are rapidly emptying.
The population of Kolpashyovsky District has decreased by nearly 16% over five years, from 37,700 to 31,800 people.
In the village of Kurzhino, only 12 residents remain instead of 135.
In the village of Ivanokino, only 21 residents remain instead of 90.
Residents report that bear sightings and attacks have increased.
Bears approach homes and attack livestock.
Traditional activities such as hunting, fishing, berry and mushroom picking are becoming harder to conduct.
A bear killed two men in a forest near the village of Sever in September 2026.
The bear responsible for the fatal attack was killed.

Governor of Irkutsk Oblast Igor Kobzey stated that over 340 bears have been eliminated since the start of population regulation in the region, and up to 80 reports of bear sightings near settlements are recorded daily. — vm