Police Kill Polar Bear in Iceland's Westfjords

Police in Iceland shot and killed a rare polar bear that was deemed a threat after it wandered close to a summer house occupied by an elderly woman in the remote village of Westfjords. Authorities consulted the Environment Agency, which advised against relocating the bear due to logistical challenges and high costs. The bear, believed to have traveled from Greenland on an iceberg, was the first sighting in Iceland since 2016. Polar bears are not native to Iceland but occasionally travel from Greenland on ice floes. The decision to kill the bear follows a 2008 task force conclusion that lethal action is often necessary when the bears pose a threat to humans or livestock. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about polar bear movements linked to climate change and the loss of sea ice.