New Delhi. A polar bear was rarely seen outside a hut in a remote village in Iceland, which was shot dead by the police considering it a threat to the local residents. Let us tell you that this is the first time it has been seen in 8 years. The polar bear was killed in northwestern Iceland on September 19 after consultation with the Environmental Agency.
“This is not something we like to do,” Westfjords police chief Helgi Jensson was quoted as saying by AP about the bear. He said the bear was very close to a summer house where an old woman lived, police added. The woman, who was alone at the time, locked herself upstairs in fear as the polar bear rummaged through her garbage. She contacted her daughter in Reykjavik for help.
Polar Bears come to the shore from Greenland floating on ice
Other summer residents had already left the area in light of the danger, police added. Olar bears are not native to Iceland, but occasionally come ashore from Greenland on ice floes.
The polar bear killed on September 19 was the first sighting of one in Iceland since 2016, with only 600 sightings since the ninth century. The polar bear, estimated to weigh between 150 and 200 kilograms, will be taken to the Icelandic Institute of Natural History for further study, the report said.
Polar Bear can be dangerous to humans
Scientists plan to examine the bear for parasites and infections, assess its organ health and body fat percentage, and potentially preserve its hide and skull for the institute’s collection. According to the report, although polar bears are a protected species in the country, authorities can take lethal action if they pose a threat to humans or livestock.
