Police Shoot Rare Polar Bear in Iceland After Threatening Local Resident
Police Shoot Rare Polar Bear in iceland After Threatening local Resident
Authorities in iceland reported that a rare polar bear was shot by police after it posed a threat to a local resident. The bear was killed on thursday afternoon in a remote northwest village after police consulted with the Environment Agency, which opted against relocating the animal, according to Westfjords police Chief Helgi Jensson.
“We don’t take this action lightly,” Jensson stated. “In this case, the bear was very close to a summer house where an elderly woman was inside.” The woman, frightened by the bear rummaging through her garbage, locked herself upstairs and contacted her daughter in Reykjavik for help. Jensson noted that other residents had already left the area, aware of the danger.
Polar bears are not native to iceland but sometimes reach the island after drifting on ice floes from Greenland. Anna Sveinsdóttir, director of scientific collections at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History, mentioned that numerous icebergs have been spotted off the north coast recently. The bear that was shot was the first seen in iceland since 2016, with only about 600 sightings recorded since the ninth century.
While polar bears are a protected species in iceland, they can be killed if they threaten humans or livestock. A debate on how to handle such occurrences was sparked in 2008 after two bears arrived in the area, leading to a task force that recommended killing vagrant bears due to the risks they pose and the high cost of relocating them back to Greenland.
The young bear, weighing between 150 and 200 kilograms (300 to 400 pounds), will be studied by scientists who are taking samples to check for parasites, infections, and overall health. The bear's pelt and skull may also be preserved for the institute’s collection. A Coast Guard helicopter conducted a search for any additional bears in the area but found none. After the bear was removed, the woman who reported the incident decided to extend her stay in the village.
Authorities in iceland reported that a rare polar bear was shot by police after it posed a threat to a local resident. The bear was killed on thursday afternoon in a remote northwest village after police consulted with the Environment Agency, which opted against relocating the animal, according to Westfjords police Chief Helgi Jensson.
“We don’t take this action lightly,” Jensson stated. “In this case, the bear was very close to a summer house where an elderly woman was inside.” The woman, frightened by the bear rummaging through her garbage, locked herself upstairs and contacted her daughter in Reykjavik for help. Jensson noted that other residents had already left the area, aware of the danger.
Polar bears are not native to iceland but sometimes reach the island after drifting on ice floes from Greenland. Anna Sveinsdóttir, director of scientific collections at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History, mentioned that numerous icebergs have been spotted off the north coast recently. The bear that was shot was the first seen in iceland since 2016, with only about 600 sightings recorded since the ninth century.
While polar bears are a protected species in iceland, they can be killed if they threaten humans or livestock. A debate on how to handle such occurrences was sparked in 2008 after two bears arrived in the area, leading to a task force that recommended killing vagrant bears due to the risks they pose and the high cost of relocating them back to Greenland.
The young bear, weighing between 150 and 200 kilograms (300 to 400 pounds), will be studied by scientists who are taking samples to check for parasites, infections, and overall health. The bear's pelt and skull may also be preserved for the institute’s collection. A Coast Guard helicopter conducted a search for any additional bears in the area but found none. After the bear was removed, the woman who reported the incident decided to extend her stay in the village.