A man in his 40s was killed and a woman in her 50s was seriously injured when a Eurasian brown bear entered a traditional Mongolian ger in the Bayanzurkh district overnight on Wednesday.
Police report the man was fatally wounded, while the woman managed to escape and alert neighbours. She has been admitted to a hospital in a serious condition, city official Munkhbayar M said.
The incident follows an increase in bear sightings near Ulaanbaatar, with 24 recorded this year alone compared with just two in 2018. Climate change and food shortages are cited as drivers of higher bear‑human encounters.
Rangers are currently searching for the animal and officials are urging residents to report encounters. Eight provinces have issued hunting permits and authorities are sourcing tranquiliser dart guns to aid protection efforts.
The tragedy highlights the tension as Mongolia balances nomadic traditions with urban expansion and a rapidly changing ecosystem.
