The Legislative Assembly of Kamchatka Krai has introduced administrative liability for feeding and approaching wild animals. The new regulations, which will take effect shortly, are designed to manage human interactions with the region’s fauna. Violators will face fines of up to 10,000 rubles.
The legislative amendment was prompted by an incident on the Zhirovaya River, where employees of a local enterprise regularly left food for bear cubs. Such practices cause animals to lose their survival instincts and develop a dietary dependence on humans. Consequently, predators begin approaching infrastructure facilities, creating safety threats to people that frequently necessitate the culling of the animals.
Under the newly adopted amendments, financial penalties are tiered based on the category of the offender. Individuals will be fined between 1,000 and 2,000 rubles, officials and sole proprietors – between 2,000 and 5,000 rubles, and legal entities – between 5,000 and 10,000 rubles. In minor cases, regulatory authorities have the discretion to issue an official warning instead of a financial penalty.
The legislation additionally establishes minimum distances that must be maintained when encountering the wildlife of the peninsula. People are now prohibited from approaching brown bears closer than 200 meters. For observing wild reindeer and snow sheep, a strict minimum distance of 450 meters has been established. These restrictions aim to minimize conflicts between humans and wildlife and preserve the natural behavioral patterns of Kamchatka fauna.