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Polar Bear Shot in Iceland for Going Through Woman’s Garbage

A rare polar bear was shot by police in a remote Icelandic village after they was deemed a threat to a local resident. The incident occurred in the north-western part of the country, where the bear had wandered near a summer house, prompting authorities to act.

Police chief Helgi Jensson reported that the decision came after consultation with the national environment agency, which opted against relocating the bear. The elderly woman inside the summer house became frightened when the bear rummaged through her garbage, prompting her to lock herself upstairs and seek help from her daughter in Reykjavik.

Polar bears are not native to Iceland; they occasionally drift from Greenland on ice floes. Recent observations noted an increase in icebergs off the north coast, possibly leading to more polar bears reaching Icelandic shores. Although attacks on humans are rare, rising temperatures and melting ice have led to more hungry bears venturing onto land, increasing the likelihood of conflicts.

This polar bear marked the first sighting in Iceland since 2016, and such occurrences are infrequent, with only 600 documented since the ninth century. While polar bears are a protected species, lethal action is permitted if they pose a risk to people or livestock. The young bear, weighing between 150 and 200 kg, was taken for scientific study to assess their health and check for parasites.