I think all these bears need are hugs. If there was more love in this world, maybe they would just eat berrys and tree roots.

Charlie, Acworth, USA

Regarding the bear attacks in Russia: Seems to me Mr. Vekselberg with his billionaire status, hardly to mention the revenue a platnum mine generates, should be able to afford to install a barrier around the mine, or at least areas within the mine that are most active, to keep the bears out.

BJ Kratz, Eldridge, USA

It's a great day to hunt some bear

Tim, Lynchburg, Virginia,

they are typical godless killing mashines. Right, it's so easy to blame the animals, but what about us? Aren't we not? How many people are killed in New York by the greatest creature on the earth each year?

Istvan, Nyiregyhaza, Hungary

"invasion" of bears - aren't the miners the invaders?
Bears are wild animals and mining is a risky occupation with or without them.

Matt, Cape Coral, USA

Colbert is right, they are godless killing machines

Alexandra, New York, US

Poaching? Get real! You environmentalists come up with the most idiotic ideas. How many poachers are going to invade Brown Bear territory for a mess of fish? Most of them would not return. You need to hug a smart tree.

Carl Hudson, Lees Summit, USA

I don't care if it IS platinum they are mining in that region. It's just not worth the lives of the people who are at risk. The bears are large dangerous wild animals and should be given a wide berth.

Judith Simpson, Huntington Beach, USA

The large bears (Russian, Grizzly, Polar etc.) are simply unbelievably fast and strong. 30 mph gives you very little time, even if you hit the bear with .45 cal, more than one time it may catch you. Several bears at the same time... To be safe you need machinegun firepower and being in a watchtower

Johan, Stockholm, Sweden,

Leave the bears alone!!!!!!!!!!
We are destroying their habitat so obviously they will resort to other means. Hunting for pleasure & the thought of a bear skin rug sickens me, just vile!!!!!!!

Maree, Los Angeles, USA

Bison and Elk may attack more people, but they do not chew, rip apart and eat the flesh off human beings. I've personally seen the aftermath of a hungry bear. The ony part remaining of the 24 yr old man other than his bones, were his feet and (genitals?). Never quite figured that part out.

Bob, Oak Harbor, USA

I am at a loss to understand why any business working in known bear country does not have guards armed with sufficient firepower to put down attacking bears. At the very least there should be heavy rifles available and a few who know how to use them. I would love to hunt them.

Doug Davis, Garland, Tx, U.S.A.

The Bible talks about how God gave the animals a natural fear of Man. In the last days, it speaks about how animals will lose their natural fear of Man. I do not know if it is a sudden thing or a gradual thing, but maybe this is the beginning. Something to think about.

Mary, Martinsville, IN, USA

Why not develop food sources for the bears further away from human areas? They come towards human areas seeking food - why not try to solve the root problem?

Answer: Cost and pure self-interest. It will probably take too long.

In the mean time, a short term cull is probably inevitable.

brian, bristol, uk

I feel sorry for the large bears, but I feel sorrier for the poor slobs who are torn apart for food. It appears that the bears have outgrown their habitat, and are now going for humans for food. It appears that they need to be thinned out, and a few bear rugs be distributed.

John, MURRELLS INLET , Georgetown

How do you work in an isolated environment like that, with a sizeable bear population,and not have trained hunters in the team? You need to match the cartridge to the animal. A bear of that size and weight requires a .45/70 rifle. The pistol load is for back up.....only. And then a .454 Casull

Mac, Chicago, USA/Illinois

This is the work of Irkulyen, the mythical god bear of Kamchatka. Irkulyen lives! Do not trifle with him! Pepper spray will not stop him! Bullets will not stop him! He could devour the world of puny human beings with a single gulp!

miguel, Seattle, USA

the California Golden Brown Bear "the one on the California flag" would hunt in packs and were known to attack native villages

we did have a black bear attack 20 miles east of here this week

Mike Hayes, Bakersfield, California Republic, USA

Of course the issue of poaching needs to be addressed, but of more urgency is the issue of bears eating humans. I have noticed that several folks in the UK talk about having pepper spray. Glad that here in the US when I go into the wild, I keep nothing smaller than a 357Mag. with me.

Thomas G. Damron, Lenore, USA

Tom - how many bears live in Lincolnshire?

Andrew, Swansea,

Bears are a predatory animal, just because we live in modern cities does not mean that bears will see that as a boundary. When you are one of the biggest land predators in your area, you have no boundaries. I Still can't forget the woman and her 2 children who were eaten a few years back here in CA.

Helen, San Diego, CA, US

This is great! Just booked a hunting trip to Kamchatka. Trophys there match those anywhere else in the world. Been wanting a bearskin rug for a while.

Jimmie J. Beardslee, Huntsville, Alabama

Of all the animals in the world, I am terrified by bears. I will never live in a country/state that has a large bear population. Because we are constantly in a building frenzy, the bears are losing their natural resources and have no other option than coming out in the open.

Angela Bowen, Pittsville, USA

To Pete from England,
You talk about this being another example of humans being where they shouldn't, but how is this any different than anything you have done? Do you really think your home or town you live in were always there? Why is it ok for you to have yours but unthinkable for others?

Tim, Savannah, US

Running down hill will give you a little more time until the bear gets you. You won't outrun it.

John, Tamarack, USA

I for one would never like to see any animals harmed in any way, however when they start to attack humans regardless of the reason, they need to be put down.

jon, Bah, Canada

Another example of humans being where they shouldnt, being attacked by the indeginous wildlife, then shooting that wildlife because it had the audacity to attack humans.
God we suck!

Pete, St Albans, England

This is really terrifying - I sympathize with the hungry bears, but how long will it be before they see our towns and villages as local food sources. Attacking us on our way home from work or to the airport. I for one will never leave the house without at least 2 cans of bear spray (one for backup)

Tom, Boston Linconshire, UK

If you're going to run from a bear, run downhill. Their front legs are shorter than their hind legs; downhill we have a chance of out-running them. Usually bears attack hikers for the food in their rucksacks rather than the food on their bones. These Russian brown bears have other ideas.

Dan, Rzeszow, Poland

Presumably it would pay the Russian authorities to stop the salmon poaching. Then the bears could go back to their natural diet, and the miners could work in greater safety. Nevertheless, it would seem wise to have one or two experienced hunters with suitable rifles on call, just in case.

Tom Welsh, Basingstoke,

Talk about Bad News Bears......

Richard, Lubbock, USA

I have no problem with bears attacking humans at all, but they can't suddenly cry off when we pull a gun on them.

Opposable thumbs, my furry friends! Evolution to the max.

Nick, Nottingham, UK

That story is horrifying, I can't begin to imagine the terror of being confronted by a 700kg bear. Although there is environtalist issues, it would be immoral not to protect the employees of the mining compound.

Daniel, Woodstock, England

Yes, bears can be dangerous which is why I carry bear spray (pepper spray) when hiking in bear country, but the above instances need to be seen in context of the thousands of harmless sightings that take place all the time. Far more people are attacked by bison and elk than by bears in the Rockies.

Adele Brand, North Downs,

Yes, it's all good to point out "Take care in the woods ..." and list a few incidences of people being attacked by hungry bears. But why not also list some of the environmental degradations caused by humans which have resulted in these bears having to resort to other means to find food?

Jade, Auckland, NZ

Well i think its obvious, we take there space and there natural foods away, slowly . they are going to start to look for different places to find food. I dont blame the Bear for looking for alternative now his food is slowly being fished to oblivion.
Why should he suffer cause human greed.

maxine , cambridge , england