The new pepper spray will assist residents January 2015 Spray 23 Russia’s first-ever bear repellent The first Russian spray to deter bears has been developed in Siberia, biologists have announced. According the The Siberian Times, many parts of the Urals and west Siberia have faced a growing problem with bears in recent years, with increased incidents of people being attacked. The new pepper spray will be welcomed by residents in rural communities, walkers and outdoor campers. Similar types of repellents that deal with overly aggressive bears are already in use in other parts of the world, including the U.S., but this is the first time a new product has been developed in Russia specifically to target bears, although it will also work on wolves and foxes. Its developers, Tyumen Aerosols Ltd., located in the Tyumen region of Siberia, explained it works by letting off a pungent pepperbased smell that the animals don’t like. However, the repellents have no ill-effect on the bears. “The number of bears has risen due to a decrease in hunters’ activity,” said Biologist Dr. Pavel Kosintev. “Bears are getting a lot braver and getting closer to people and are starting to feed off rubbish and even attack people. This year we couldn’t finish an expedition on time because of bears getting right inside our camp. We had to leave the camp because no one was prepared to tempt fate and wait for them to attack.” Officials in the Animal Protection Dept. in Sverdlovsk Oblast in the Ural Mountains said there are now 4,063 brown bears in the Middle Urals, an increase of 12 from last year. “The annual increase is not huge, but it’s stable,” said a department spokesman. “For the last four years there has been a favorable climate for bears and a significant decrease in hunting activity.” “Bears hate sharp scents, so the pepper spray should help frighten them,” added Kosintev. Unveiling the new spray, Tyumen Aerosols Ltd. said it was the “first of its kind” in Russia. The first ever bear repellent was developed in the U.S. in 1992 by a man who survived an encounter with a grizzly by using a normal pepper spray. Best used at a distance of at least 25 feet, the sprays used in the U.S. have been found to be up to 98% effective in warding off a potential attack from an aggressive animal. Spray in rural communities in Russia, as well as hikers and campers. Photo by Tyumen Aerosols Cute but deadly: Bears are becoming bold and getting closer to humans as the number of hunters in Russia decreases.
Spray Jan 15
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