Climate warning
Image of Varsa Mahananda
Varsa Mahananda

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Image of Government of Iceland

Government of Iceland

Climate warning

First sighting of a polar bear in Iceland since 2016, shot dead by the police

Polar bears are anyway a rare sight, with only 600 of them recorded in Iceland since the ninth century. So if one ends up in your backyard, the best way to deal with it is to just go ahead and kill it.
No place seems safe for a polar bear
No place seems safe for a polar bear

That’s what the local police department in the Westfjords, Iceland did when a polar bear was spotted in a remote village in Iceland and was considered a threat. The bear ended up in the backyard of an old lady and was rummaging for food in a garbage dump. She panicked and called her daughter who, in turn, called the police. According to the police, they contacted the Environment agency who refused to relocate the poor, hungry bear. So the police had no other choice but to shoot it dead. The whole world is facing the effects of climate change and here we are acting like nothing has changed. It is not normal for a polar bear to be found in Iceland but, due to the melting ice, some of these hungry polar bears come ashore after traveling on ice floes from Greenland, according to Anna Sveinsdóttir, the director of scientific collections at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History. According to a study in Wildlife Society Bulletin in 2017, attacks by polar bears on humans are extremely rare, but the loss of sea ice from global warming has led more hungry bears to land, creating a greater chance of conflicts with humans and increasing the risk to both. Instead of taking measures to save rare species, the Environment Agency in Iceland denied help of any kind to save the polar bear. This was a disappointing piece of news to read. Hopefully they can do better in the future. Read more about this incident here:
Rare polar bear shot dead by police in Iceland after being thought a threat

Rare polar bear shot dead by police in Iceland after being thought a threat

Environment agency advised that the animal posed a danger to elderly woman in remote summer house in Westfjords

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/20/rare-polar-bear-shot-dead-by-police-in-iceland-after-being-thought-a-threat



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  • Munene Mugambi

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    The shooting of the polar bear in Iceland highlights the dire consequences of climate change and habitat loss. As bears seek food on land due to melting ice, conflicts with humans increase. This incident highlights the need for better wildlife management and conservation strategies.

    • Gorffly mokua

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      This is a tragic situation. While safety is important, the loss of such a rare animal highlights the need for better strategies to manage wildlife encounters humanely.

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      • walter lungayi

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        This is so heartbreaking. To mitigate this challenge, strategies such as enhanced monitoring, public awareness campaigns, and habitat conservation are essential. Establishing wildlife corridors and clear emergency response protocols can facilitate safe interactions and reduce human-wildlife conflicts.

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              • rosebellendiritu

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                This is wrong..the relevant government should have taken action and protected the bear instead of letting it get killed.

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                • Sarah Chabane

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                  So sad, I feel there must be other ways to solve the issue

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                  Re-watch Climate Week NYC