Bear kills man and injures woman at home near Ulaanbaatar; Mongolia issues hunting permits

The attack in Bayanzurkh

A bear entered a rural home in the Bayanzurkh district on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar on Wednesday, killing a man in his 40s who had been helping the family with farm work. Reports differ on timing, with some placing the attack on Wednesday evening and others overnight into Thursday. The man reportedly tried to drive the animal out before he was attacked and killed. The bear then injured a woman in her 50s, one outlet gives her age as 55, who escaped and raised the alarm with neighbours despite serious wounds to her head and face. She underwent surgery and is in hospital. Fanpage reports she is no longer in danger of her life, while BBC describes her condition as serious. Her relatives said she had lost a great deal of blood, and she was transferred to the National Center of Neurology for further tests to assess whether more surgery is needed. A team of 35 forest rangers was still searching for the bear on Thursday evening.

Sightings climb across the country

Mongolian authorities have logged 754 bear sightings in 11 provinces and the capital since January. Over 80% of them involved cubs or females accompanied by cubs. Inside Ulaanbaatar, 24 sightings have been confirmed this year, compared with two in 2018 and one in 2019, city official Munkhbayar M told reporters. In Selenge province in the north, bears are blamed for killing at least 162 head of livestock since spring. Videos of bears entering gers and attacking livestock have circulated widely on Mongolian social media in recent weeks.

Hunger and the official response

Biologists in Mongolia say hunger appears to be pushing bears toward urban areas. Experts add that climate change and overexploitation of natural resources are reducing food in the taiga, where poplars, berries and pine nuts no longer suffice. In early October, a bear shot in Khentii province was autopsied and its stomach was found empty. In September the environment ministry banned pine nut collection for the rest of 2026 after detecting a shortage of food for wildlife and more bears entering settlements, according to La Razón. The emergency measures stay in force until hibernation. They include round-the-clock teams to register sightings and rapid-response teams for high-risk zones. Residents have been told to leave no food waste outdoors and to bury animal carcasses promptly.

Permits and the hunt

Bear-hunting permits have been issued in eight provinces, and authorities are seeking tranquiliser dart guns to support rangers in rural areas. La Razón reports a different figure, saying Mongolia authorized the killing of 27 brown bears in seven provinces and the capital, with six of them already shot, citing the state agency Montsame. According to the same report, operations in populated areas must be carried out under police supervision. Montsame advised people who see a bear to speak to it calmly and avoid sudden movements. Officials have asked residents to stay alert and report any sightings. Investigations into the causes of the rise in encounters are still ongoing.