A devastating event occurred in Russia as a father and son were fatally attacked by a bear, suspected to be rabid, that had intruded into their home. The bear, a large brown species, began its violent spree by killing 35 stray dogs at a nearby shelter before breaking into the Luchegorsk residence and fatally attacking the 87-year-old man and his 56-year-old son.
Olga Zamyshlyaeva, the shelter’s director, disclosed that the dogs were kept in kennels and were unable to escape when the bear broke through the weak wooden fence and entered the facility. The bear’s tracks were discovered at the gruesome scene. Zamyshlyaeva noted, “The bear came in at night, and 35 dogs died. We don’t have security here. The dogs are kept in kennels.”
The bear’s rampage extended into the following day. Local authorities reacted by sealing off the area and implementing a curfew. Hunting inspectors were immediately instructed to locate and kill the bear, as locals were afraid it would attack again. The bear was eventually found and killed.
Sergey Aramilev, a bear expert, suggested that the bear was either infected with rabies or had been wounded by hunters. He explained, “If the bear kills people, then it was either injured by a person or sick with rabies. A healthy bear would definitely not do this, it would not even come close to a populated area.” The bear’s reported underweight condition further indicated that it was unwell.
This heartbreaking incident emphasizes the potential risks posed by wildlife, especially when they are sick or injured. It also underscores the necessity of sufficient security measures in areas where human and wildlife habitats intersect.