Bear fears high in Kamchatka

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) - Bears are blamed for the recent death of two guards near a platinum mine on the Kamchatka Peninsula in far-eastern Russia, prompting a scare at geological sites over a wide area.

Russian media reports cite local law enforcement officials as saying the remains of the two men had been "gnawed on."

Gatherings of bears have been reported in the region since the deaths, and many people have refused to work at the mine, saying they are afraid. Friday they welcomed a group of specialists who are hoping to remove the threat.

Three hunters and a representative of Koryakgeoldobycha, employer of around 400 people at the mine, will evaluate the danger and decide whether killing a few animals is necessary, said Vladimir Rudeyev of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry in Kamchatka.
–From CNN's Alina Selyukh