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Polar bears rarely show up in Iceland, where they’re protected. When one arrived this week, police shot it
- Published: Sep. 20, 2024, 10:09 a.m.
- https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2024/09/polar-bears-rarely-show-up-in-iceland-where-theyre-protected-when-one-arrived-this-week-police-shot-it.html
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A polar bear was spotted outside a cottage in a remote village in Iceland, a rare sight in the island nation. It was shot by police after being considered a threat, authorities said Friday.
The bear was killed Thursday afternoon in the northwest of Iceland after police consulted the Environment Agency, which declined to have the animal relocated, Westfjords Police Chief Helgi Jensson told The Associated Press.
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“It’s not something we like to do,” Jensson said. “In this case, as you can see in the picture, the bear was very close to a summer house. There was an old woman in there.”
The owner, who was alone, was frightened and locked herself upstairs as the bear rummaged through her garbage, Jensson said. She contacted her daughter in Reykjavik, the nation’s capital, by satellite link, and called for help.
“She stayed there,” Jensson said, adding that other summer residents in the area had gone home. “She knew the danger.”
Polar bears are not native to Iceland but occasionally come ashore after traveling on ice floes from Greenland, according to Anna Sveinsdóttir, director of scientific collections at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History. Many icebergs have been spotted off the north coast in the last few weeks.
The bear shot on Thursday was the first one seen in the country since 2016. Sightings are relatively rare with only 600 recorded in Iceland since the ninth century.
While the bears are a protected species in Iceland and it’s forbidden to kill one at sea, they can be killed if they pose a threat to humans or livestock.
After two bears arrived in 2008, a debate over killing the threatened species led the environment minister to appoint a task force to study the issue, the institute said. The task force concluded that killing vagrant bears was the most appropriate response.
The group said the nonnative species posed a threat to people and animals, and the cost of returning them to Greenland, about 180 miles away, was exorbitant. It also found there was a healthy bear population in east Greenland where any bear was likely to have come from.
The young bear, which weighed between 300 to 400 pounds, will be taken to the institute to study. Scientists took samples from the bear Friday.
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They will be checking for parasites and infections and evaluating its physical condition, such as the health of its organs and percentage of body fat, Sveinsdóttir said. The pelt and skull may be preserved for the institute’s collection.
A Coast Guard helicopter surveyed the area where the bear was found to look for others but didn’t find any.
Terrible animals…
Homeowner upset after trespassing neighbor leaves traps for local wildlife: ‘All they’ve done is slowly destroy any trace of nature’
“They have to be stopped.”
by Susan Elizabeth TurekSeptember 11, 2024
- https://www.thecooldown.com/green-home/bad-neighbors-trespassing-wildlife-glue-trap/
Photo Credit: iStock
A recent tale of neighborly woes is highlighting how environmentally harmful actions by one party can impact another — and will likely have homeowners with considerate neighbors pausing for a moment of gratitude for their good fortune.
In the r/neighborsfromh*** community, a Redditor living in rural England described how their new neighbor has been giving them constant trouble after moving in two years ago. This is after the original poster’s household had lived in harmony with the community for nearly 28 years.
The OP explained that they initially tried to have a gentle conversation with the person next door after they tore down a shared fence, destroying plants that gave them joy and supported wildlife, including a number of bird species.
In one distressing instance, the OP said their family returned from a relaxing holiday weekend to discover a blackbird “writhing about on the ground” and “covered in so much sticky stuff that its wings [were] stuck to its sides.”
“We were rather upset that somebody in this fairly tight-knit village would put down glue traps, which are illegal unless used by a registered pest control company,” the OP wrote, noting that other animals also began to show up with chunks of fur and feathers missing.
“Since they moved in all they’ve done is slowly destroy any trace of nature, cut their trees down, cut back our trees, put down AstroTurf, replaced hedges with fences, put down glue, fitted bird spikes, etc., etc.,” they added. “They moved to the middle of the bloody countryside. What were they expecting?”Join our newsletter
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Unfortunately, difficult interactions with neighbors aren’t uncommon and can hinder plans to support the local ecosystems or make planet-friendly home or yard upgrades. However, when approached with respect and kindness, chatting about environmental issues can lead to deeper understanding and connection.
In one heartwarming case, another Redditor shared how their thoughtful neighbor allowed a passion flower vine to dangle over a fence separating their two yards. That way, the user, who adores passion flowers, can enjoy the blooms.
Sadly for the OP, that path appears to be off the table for now. Other Redditors were outraged on their behalf, as well as that of the wildlife being harmed by their neighbor’s actions.
“I have no words. I hope you can report them for the glue,” one person suggested. “Very cruel.”
“They have to be stopped,” another agreed. “Please contact a wildlife protection association.”
