Polar Bear
Aggressive polar bears are holding locals from the Russian village of Ryrkaypiy hostage after forcing hundreds of frightened local walruses to jump off 125ft cliffs to their deaths
Aggressive polar bears are holding locals in a Russian village hostage after being drawn to a nearby walrus rookery, leaving residents unable to venture outdoors.

The one tonne predators are thought to have forced hundreds of frightened walruses to jump off 125ft cliffs to their deaths before feasting on the carcasses.

Around 20 of the fearsome bears have surrounded the coastal area of Ryrkaypiy, population of 601, with one cub even trying to enter a house through the window.

The polar bears were attracted by a walrus rookery in a special protection zone in the Russian far eastern region of Chukotka.

A local wildlife official called the situation 'alarming'.

'Many of the frightened flippered marine mammals fell off cliffs at Kozhevnikova Cape as they sought to flee the invaders,' said one report.

Polar bear
The one tonne mammals are thought to have forced hundreds of frightened walruses to jump off 125ft cliffs to their deaths before feasting on the carcasses
'Several hundred fell to their deaths, and the polar bears then ate the carcasses,' reported the Siberian Times.

Now the other walruses have migrated away and the polar bears are encircling the village.

'Around 20 polar bears remain practically next to the village,' said the head of WWF project Polar Bear Patrol, Viktor Nikiforov.

Polar bears
The polar bears were attracted by a walrus rookery in a special protection zone in the Russian far eastern region of Chukotka
'There is enough food for them (from the many fallen walruses), but several young bears approach to the houses out of curiosity.'

'Three days ago, a bear squeezed in a window and tried to get inside. It's clear that people are frightened.'

Locals are patrolling and scaring the polar bears away from homes when they approach, he said.

'We are trying to save the lives of both people and Red Book polar bears ...'

Explaining the walruses falling, he said: 'Up to 5,000 walruses were on the rookery, but there were a lot of dead animals - several hundred...

'Many crashed, falling from a height. Their rookery had attracted polar bears.

'The walruses were obviously frightened by the predators, panicked and fell from the top to their deaths.'