‘Problematic’ polar bear may be shot after record heatwave drives him closer to humans

A polar bear has been deemed “problematic” and may be shot after causing injuries to humans, according to reports.

The bear has been seen on a Danish military base in Greenland and earlier this week, popped its head through a window and bit the hand of a man from a visiting documentary crew.

While the crew fired warning shots from pistols to scare away the bear, it returned and broke a window. The injured crew member was taken to a nearby military base for treatment.

The Danish military said that the polar bear has been involved in five previous incidents and the situation had forced them to take action.

"The local authorities have from now on categorised the bear as ‘problematic,’ which allows for it to be shot dead, if it returns," the Danish military unit stated, according to a report.

Greenland, which is partly located inside the Arctic Circle, has recently been experiencing sweltering heatwaves, reaching temperatures of 74 degrees Fahrenheit.

As the ice melts, polar bears must move further to find food, bringing them in closer proximity to human populations.

A 2018 study, published in Science, found that declines in polar bear populations are linked to changing sea ice conditions.

4 August 2021

INDEPENDENT