Villagers hire guards for bear protection
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Hungry bears are making life tense for the residents of two Siberian villages who have had to resort to employing armed guards.
For the past month, the people in the villages of Yaylu and Bele have had some unwelcome guests in their midst.
About 20 bears have wandered in from a nearby nature reserve on the hunt for food.
Local media has reported that the bears have killed chickens and cattle and have been harassing residents as well.
As a result, some villagers are afraid to leave their homes.
In addition to armed guards in the settlements, there is also a night-time curfew.
Experts say the bears have been forced into the villages because of a poor yield of nuts and berries in the forest this year.
