Four bears shot in Kamchatka

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, Russia, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Four Kamchatka brown bears were shot by hunters hired to get rid of animals that had gathered around two mining camps in the Russian Far East.

Experts say that the animals, about 30 of the world's largest bear, were attracted to the area by food dumps. Once those were cleaned up, the bears dispersed, but four had to be killed to protect employees at the camps, Itar-Tass reported.

On July 17, two employees of the Koryakgeoldobycha mining and mineral exploration company were killed by bears.

About 16,000 bears live on the Kamchatka Peninsula, even venturing into Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the major city with a population of almost 200,000. Male Kamchatka brown bears can grow to be almost 10 feet in length weighing close to 1,500 pounds.