In early October 2026, the administration of Shakhunya Urban Okrug recorded cases of a wild bear appearing within the limits of the town of Shakhunya in Nizhny Novgorod Region and issued an official warning to residents.[1][2]

Circumstances

The warning was published on the municipal okrug's channel in the MAX messenger on October 3–4, 2026.[1] Residents were urged to remain calm but to exercise heightened vigilance, above all in the evening and nighttime hours.[3][4] The predator's appearance in a populated area came against the backdrop of a general increase in the brown bear population in the region: as of April 1, 2026, Nizhny Novgorod Region had 1,500 individuals, 224 more than three years earlier. The highest concentration of animals is observed in the Voskresensky, Varnavinsky, Semyonov, and Vetluga okrugs.[2]

Recommendations from the authorities

Specialists reminded residents of the rules for encountering a wild animal: do not panic and do not try to run away, since running may trigger a chase; avoid direct eye contact and do not turn your back on the bear; stop and slowly, without sudden movements, back away.[1][5] If the animal has not noticed the person, it is recommended to quietly leave in the opposite direction; if it has noticed, visually increase your size (raise your arms, open your jacket) and speak in a calm, low voice.[1] Children should be kept close or picked up; dogs should be kept on a leash or also picked up, since barking can provoke the predator.[2] Approaching the bear, photographing it, or feeding it is strictly prohibited.[1]

Upon spotting the animal, residents were asked to report it immediately by calling the unified emergency service at 112 or the EDDS (Unified Duty Dispatch Service) at 2-78-00.[5][2]

Sources

  1. Vremya N — Residents of Shakhunya warned about bears appearing within the town limits (archive)
  2. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" — Residents of Shakhunya warned about a bear appearing within the town limits, Nizhny Novgorod News (archive)
  3. Pro Gorod Nizhny Novgorod — Bear spotted by local residents near Nizhny Novgorod (archive)
  4. Open Nizhny — Residents of Shakhunya warned about bears appearing within the town limits
  5. Newsroom24 — Bears spotted within the town limits of Shakhunya, Nizhny Novgorod Region — Incidents (archive)