What a bear attack in a remote valley in Nepal tells us about the problem of aging rural communities

Lack of opportunities are driving young people away from rural villages, leaving fewer people to scare away the wildlife.

By: Geoff Childs, Washington University in St. Louis, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 20, 2026

Words: 1,216

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

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By Geoff Childs, Washington University in St. Louis

Dorje Dundul recently had his foot gnawed by a brown bear – a member of the species Ursus thibetanus, to be precise.

It wasn’t his first such encounter. Recounting the first of three such violent experiences over the past five years, Dorje told our research team: “My wife came home one evening and reported that a bear had eaten a lot of corn from the maize field …

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