Ulaanbaatar city Administration has issued a warning of possible bear attacks on the public. The alert comes after footprints of the animal were found near the city over the weekend.

“A bear has left footprints in Sanzai – a residential area next to a forest, near the capital city,” the UB Environment Department reported.

The number of people going to forests to pick cones and wild berries has increased dramatically in recent days, the department said, urging people not to go to forests to avoid encountering dangerous hungry bears.

Two people were killed in a bear attack in Yeruu Soum (rural district) of Selenge Province in northern Mongolia in October last year.