Bear kills 63 sheep and goats in western Mongolia

A bear slaughtered 63 sheep and goats owned by a herder in Bugat soum, western Mongolia, on Friday, according to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, per a local media report released Monday. Hunters later killed the bear as it fled, the ministry confirmed. The incident comes amid a series of recent bear attacks across the country, including an October death and a November serious injury and other injuries in Darkhan‑Uul, the ministry said.

Local sources say the herder—whose name has not been disclosed—was tending his flock near the Bugat foothills when the attack occurred. No villagers were injured. The Ministry stated that the bear was shot dead by hunters tracking it after the livestock were found dead.

The ministry warned that bear sightings in and near residential areas have been increasing, describing the trend as a “consequence of climate change, food shortages in natural bear habitats and the overexploitation of natural resources.” It urged the public to remain vigilant and to take preventive steps to reduce encounters.

The incident was reported by Xinhua, citing the ministry; no independent verification of the number of animals killed was provided beyond the ministry figure of 63. The ministry also noted separate attacks earlier in the year: a man in his 40s was killed and a woman in her 50s was seriously injured in Ulan Bator in October, and a 35‑year‑old herder was injured in Darkhan‑Uul last week.

While the ministry confirmed the bear’s death and the livestock loss, the identity of the bear—whether wild or a stray population—remains unconfirmed. No other agencies have issued statements.

The pattern of increasing livestock predation aligns with expert analysis linking climate and resource pressures to wild‑animal behavior, though specific data on these conditions in Bugat soum were not included in the release.