Polar Bear Euthanized in Iceland After Threat to Human Safety
In a rare incident, a polar bear was euthanized by Icelandic authorities after it was deemed a threat to an elderly woman living near a summer cottage in the Westfjords region. The bear, which had been rummaging through trash, prompted the woman to lock herself upstairs and contact her daughter in Reykjavik for help. Westfjords Police Chief Helgi Jensson stated that the decision to euthanize the bear was made after consulting with the Icelandic Environment Agency, which refused to relocate the animal to Greenland, nearly 300 kilometers away.
Polar Bears: Rare Visitors to Iceland
Polar bears are not native to Iceland and are typically found on sea ice in the Arctic. They occasionally travel on ice floes from Greenland and are rarely seen on land. The last recorded sighting of a polar bear in Iceland was in 2016, and only about 600 sightings have been documented since the 9th century. The recent sighting coincided with an unusual influx of large icebergs from Greenland, raising concerns about the potential for more polar bears to arrive on Icelandic shores.
Climate Change and Human-Animal Conflicts
While polar bear attacks on humans are extremely rare, experts warn that climate change is increasing the likelihood of such encounters. A study published in the Wildlife Society Bulletin in 2017 indicated that the shrinking sea ice is forcing hungry bears to venture further ashore in search of food, heightening the risk of conflict with humans. The bear that was euthanized weighed between 150 and 200 kilograms and will be studied by scientists at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History to assess its health and any potential parasites.
